Time, temperature and concentration resolved Yb3+ luminescence study in co-sputtered Cu2-xGaxS2 (0.1 < x < 1.6) thin films with a Cu–Ga composition gradient

The broad class of Cu(Al,Ga,In) (S,Se,Te) 2 solar absorber materials when doped with Yb 3+ are interesting for thin film based luminescent solar concentrator (LSC's) application. In this work the strong and broad absorption properties of co-sputtered CuGaS 2 (CGS) thin films combined with the luminescent properties of Yb are reported. Energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS), x-ray diffraction, transmission, excitation, and temperature dependent emission as well as radiative lifetime measurements are performed on thin films with varying Cu:Ga ratios and Yb 3+ concentrations. It is found that Yb 3+ emission can be broadly sensitized by the host in the range of 200–600 nm. A lower Cu:Ga ratio, crystallinity and post annealing in air provides a positive impact on the sensitization of Yb 3+ emission. The temperature dependent time integrated decay curves show a clear thermal energy barrier of about 0.2 eV. Because the exponential tail, with a lifetime of 110 μs, is constant with temperature, we conclude that the barrier is connected to the thermal release of electrons trapped at the Yb 2+ ground state. The low energy transfer efficiency from the host to the Yb dopant is attributed to efficient non-radiative electron-hole pair recombination. The prospects and design criteria of Cu(Al,Ga,In) (S,Se,Te) 2 solar absorber materials for LSC applications is the further subject of the discussion. • CuGaS 2 host sensitized Yb 3+ emission in sputtered thin films have less than 0.01 % IQE. • Yb 3+ ions excited in the 2 F 5/2 state are not thermally quenched up to 550 K. • Time- and temperature dependent CuGaS 2 to Yb 3+ energy transfer is reported. • Increased Ga/Cu ratio and O content boost Yb 3+ intensity by 25 and 375, respectively. • The lifetime of Yb 3+ in CuGaS 2 is 110 μs.