A novel CdTe ink-assisted direct synthesis of CdTe thin films for the solution-processed CdTe solar cells

In CdS/CdTe solar cells, chemical interdiffusion at the interface gives rise to the formation of an interlayer of the ternary compoundCdSxCdTe1-x. In this work, we evaluate the effects of this interlayer in CdS/CdTe photovoltaic cells in order to improve theoretical results describing experimentalC-V(capacitance versus voltage) characteristics. We extended our previous theoretical methodology developed on the basis of three cardinal equations (Castillo-Alvarado et al., 2010). The present results provide a better fit to experimental data obtained from CdS/CdTe solar cells grown in our laboratory by the chemical bath deposition (for CdS film) and the close-spaced vapor transport (for CdTe film) techniques.

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Heterojunction CdS/CdTe solar cells based on electrodepositedp‐CdTe thin films: Fabrication and characterization

Journal of Applied Physics ◽

10.1063/1.335735 ◽

1985 ◽

Vol 58 (9) ◽

pp. 3590-3593 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

R. N. Bhattacharya ◽

K. Rajeshwar

Keyword(s):

Thin Films ◽

Solar Cells ◽

Cdte Solar Cells ◽

Cdte Thin Films ◽

Fabrication And Characterization

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Electrical properties of N-type CdS and P-type CdTe thin films in CdS/CdTe solar cells

Proceedings of the 20th IEEE International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits (IPFA) ◽

10.1109/ipfa.2013.6599187 ◽

2013 ◽

Author(s):

Jingjin Wu ◽

Ferryanto Ang ◽

Cezhou Zhao ◽

Jeremy S Smith

Keyword(s):

Thin Films ◽

Solar Cells ◽

Electrical Properties ◽

Cdte Solar Cells ◽

Cdte Thin Films ◽

P Type

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Solution-processed Nanocrystal Based Thin Films as Hole Transport Materials in Cadmium Telluride Photovoltaics

MRS Advances ◽

10.1557/adv.2018.349 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 3 (41) ◽

pp. 2441-2447 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Ebin Bastola ◽

Kamala Khanal Subedi ◽

Khagendra P. Bhandari ◽

Randy J. Ellingson

Keyword(s):

Thin Films ◽

Solar Cells ◽

Cadmium Telluride ◽

Valence Band ◽

Hole Transport ◽

Transport Layer ◽

Back Contact ◽

Iron Pyrite ◽

Solution Processed ◽

Cdte Solar Cells

ABSTRACTThe cadmium telluride (CdTe) photovoltaic (PV) comprise an efficient and cost-effective technology for harvesting solar energy. However, device efficiency remains limited in part by low-open circuit voltage (VOC) and fill factor (FF) due to inefficient transport of photo-generated charge carriers. Given the deep valence band of CdTe, the use of copper/gold (Cu/Au) as a back contact serves primarily to narrow the width of the inherent Schottky junction evident in CdTe solar cells (in our laboratory, Cu/Au has been used as a standard back contact). For efficient transport of carriers to and into the back contact, a hole transport layer (HTL) is desired with valence band edge comparable to that of CdTe (∼ -5.9 eV). Here, we report solution-processed nanocrystal (NCs) based thin films as HTLs in CdTe solar cells. The earth abundant materials we discuss include iron pyrite (FeS2), nickel-alloyed iron pyrite (NixFe1-xS2), zinc copper sulfide (ZnxCu1-xS) nanocomposites, and perovskite-based films. The FeS2 and NixFe1-xS2 NCs are synthesized by a hot-injection route, and thin films are fabricated by drop-casting, and spin-coating techniques using colloidal NCs. ZnxCu1-xS thin films are fabricated by chemical bath deposition. These NC-based thin films are applied and studied as the HTLs in CdTe devices. On using these materials, the device performance can be increased up to 10% compared to the standard Cu/Au back contact. Here, we discuss the benefits, challenges, and opportunities for these back contact materials in CdTe photovoltaics.

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Effect ofIn SituThermal Annealing on Structural, Optical, and Electrical Properties of CdS/CdTe Thin Film Solar Cells Fabricated by Pulsed Laser Deposition

Advances in Condensed Matter Physics ◽

10.1155/2016/8068396 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 2016 ◽

pp. 1-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Alaa Ayad Al-mebir ◽

Paul Harrison ◽

Ali Kadhim ◽

Guanggen Zeng ◽

Judy Wu

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

Thin Films ◽

Solar Cells ◽

Pulsed Laser Deposition ◽

Pulsed Laser ◽

Laser Deposition ◽

Thin Film Solar Cells ◽

Cdte Thin Film ◽

Cdte Solar Cells ◽

Cdte Thin Films

Anin situthermal annealing process (iTAP) has been introduced before the commonex situcadmium chloride (CdCl2) annealing to improve crystal quality and morphology of the CdTe thin films after pulsed laser deposition of CdS/CdTe heterostructures. A strong correlation between the two annealing processes was observed, leading to a profound effect on the performance of CdS/CdTe thin film solar cells. Atomic force microscopy and Raman spectroscopy show that the iTAP in the optimal processing window produces considerable CdTe grain growth and improves the CdTe crystallinity, which results in significantly improved optoelectronic properties and quantum efficiency of the CdS/CdTe solar cells. A power conversion efficiency of up to 7.0% has been obtained on thin film CdS/CdTe solar cells of absorber thickness as small as 0.75 μm processed with the optimal iTAP at 450°C for 10–20 min. This result illustrates the importance of controlling microstructures of CdTe thin films and iTAP provides a viable approach to achieve such a control.

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Physical properties of Bi doped CdTe thin films grown by CSVT and their influence on the CdS/CdTe solar cells PV-properties

Thin Solid Films ◽

10.1016/j.tsf.2006.12.050 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 515 (15) ◽

pp. 5819-5823 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

O. Vigil-Galán ◽

E. Sánchez-Meza ◽

C.M. Ruiz ◽

J. Sastré-Hernández ◽

A. Morales-Acevedo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Thin Films ◽

Solar Cells ◽

Physical Properties ◽

Cdte Solar Cells ◽

Cdte Thin Films

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Structural Properties of CdTe Thin Films for Solar Cell Applications Deposited on Flexible Foil Substrates

MRS Proceedings ◽

10.1557/proc-1165-m08-26 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 1165 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Vasilios Palekis ◽

Deidra Ranel Hodges ◽

Don L Morel ◽

Lee Stefanakos ◽

Chris S Ferekides

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

Thin Films ◽

Growth Rate ◽

Grain Size ◽

Solar Cells ◽

Solar Cell ◽

Substrate Temperature ◽

Source Temperature ◽

Cdte Solar Cells ◽

Cdte Thin Films

AbstractCadmium telluride (CdTe) is a leading thin film photovoltaic (PV) material due to its near ideal band gap of 1.45 eV and its high optical absorption coefficient. The typical CdTe thin film solar cell is of the superstrate configuration where a window layer (CdS), the absorber (CdTe), and a back contact are deposited onto a glass slide coated with a transparent electrode. Substrate CdTe solar cells where the above listed films are deposited in reverse order are not common. In this study, the growth of CdTe thin films deposited on foil substrates by the close-spaced sublimation (CSS) has been investigated for the purpose of fabricating substrate based CdTe solar cells. The CdTe films were deposited at substrate temperatures (TSUB) in the range of 300 to 600°C, and source temperatures (TSRC) in the 600 to 650°C range. The effect of the substrate-source temperature variations on the growth rate, film structure and morphology were studied using XRD and SEM. It was found that for low substrate temperature and as the growth rate increases, grain size was the same but the films appeared to be more uniform and more densely packed with less or no pinholes. The growth rate increased as the source temperature increased. The substrate temperature clearly influences the grain growth and the preferred orientation. As the substrate temperature increased the growth rate decreased and the grain size varied from 2 to 6 μm. XRD analysis showed that with the increase in substrate temperature film orientation changes from preferential along the (111) direction to a mix of (111) (220) and (311).

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