PhD : "Study of Thin Layers of Tin Oxide for Applications in Photovoltaic Solar Cells"

PhD defense : Yahya Zakaria

Team : MaCEPV

Title : "Study of Thin Layers of Tin Oxide for Applications in Photovoltaic Solar Cells"

His thesis defense that will take place on on Wednesday 31^st of May at 10:00 at l'Amphithéatre Marguerite Perey, CNRS, 23 rue du Loess 67037 Strasbourg. The defense will be in English, followed by a reception.

Summary:

Tin oxide is a promising transparent conducting oxide which can be employed in various application, particularly in photovoltaic. In this work, we studied the effect of the growth conditions of SnO_x using magnetron sputtering namely, O₂/Ar flow rate ratio and growth temperature, on the structural, optical and electrical properties. We also explored the effect of post-deposition thermal annealing under vacuum, air and argon on the structural and optoelectronic properties of SnO_x thin films. Furthermore, we assessed the SnO_x thin film as electron transport layer for perovskite solar cells and we found that power conversion efficiency has been increased from 15.07% to 17.10% after thermal annealing in air. Finally, we investigated the possibility to dope SnO_x with nitrogen using three nitrogen precursor gases namely, NH₃, N₂O and N₂. We found that NH₃ treatments have etched and damaged the SnO_x films, N₂O treatments have enhanced the n-type conductivity and N₂ treatments have shown the ability to convert the conductivity from n-type to p-type.

Keywords: Oxides, Magnetron Sputtering, Thermal Annealing, Solar Cell, SnOx

The jury will be composed of:

• Mme. BOUSQUET Angélique -- Reporter - Maître  de  Conférences  HDR - Université Clermont Auvergne,  Institut  de  Chimie  de  Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand
• M. PIERSON Jean-François -- Reporter - Professeur - Université de Lorraine, Institut Jean Lamour, Nancy
• M. COLIS Silviu -- Examinator - Professeur - Université de Strasbourg-ECPM, IPCMS, Strasbourg
• M. JOUIAD Mustapha -- Examinator - Professeur - Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Laboratoire LPMC, Amiens
• M. RUCH David -- Examinator - Research Senior Scientist,  Institute  of  Science  and  Technology (LIST), Luxembourg
• M.SLAOUI Abdelilah -- Supervisor - Directeur de recherche, CNRS, laboratoire ICube, Strasbourg
• M. AHZI Said -- Co-Supervisor - Professeur - Université de Strasbourg, laboratoire ICube, Strasbourg
• M. AISSA Brahim -- Invited Member - Senior Scientist, Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute, HBKU, Doha, Qatar 
• M. FIX Thomas -- Invited Member - Chargé de Recherche HDR, CNRS, laboratoire ICube, Strasbourg