CdS Window Layer for Large Open Circuit Voltages of Low Environmental-Load CdS/CdTe Solar Cells

2003 ◽  
Vol 763 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Toyama ◽  
H. Oda ◽  
K. Nakamura ◽  
T. Fujihara ◽  
K. Shimizuand ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Mixed Crystal ◽  
Open Circuit ◽  
Window Layer ◽  
Environmental Load ◽  
Layer Width ◽  
Cdte Solar Cells ◽  
Substrate Temperatures ◽  
Open Circuit Voltages ◽  
Cds Crystallites

AbstractThe low ‘environmental-load’ CdS/CdTe solar cells for reducing consumption of Cd compounds have been investigated employing the CdS layers fabricated at various substrate temperatures, TCdS, and a conversion efficiency of 14.1% has been achieved. The nanostructure of CdS crystallites made at different TCdS are compared to the crystallinity of CdS, and CdTe deposited on CdS as well as sulfur fraction in CdTe1-xSx mixed crystal layer unintentionally formed at CdS/CdTe(S) interface. The photovoltaic performances, especially obtained relative high open circuit voltages, are discussed in conjunction with the structural properties as well as electrical properties of the solar cells. The solar cells show a relative high Voc due to the large CdTe grains as well as the narrow depletion layer width. Besides, preventing deterioration of the CdS/CdTe(S) interface is found to be quite effective for achieving high open circuit voltages and fill factors.

Amorphous Silicon-Carbon Alloys for Solar Cells

1993 ◽  
Vol 297 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuan-Min Li
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Light Exposure ◽  
Open Circuit ◽  
Hydrogen Dilution ◽  
Silicon Carbon ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous ◽  
Substrate Temperatures ◽  
Open Circuit Voltages

Recent efforts to optimize undoped, glow-discharge hydrogenated amorphous silicon-carbon alloys (a-SiC:H) with 1.9-2.0 eV bandgaps for solar cell applications are reviewed. Hydrogen dilution coupled with relatively low substrate temperatures (below 200 °C) have led to great improvements in the optical and phototransport properties of a-SiC:H films. The issue of alternative carbon feedstocks other than methane (CH4) will be explored. The improved a-SiC:H alloys have resulted in solar cells with high open circuit voltages (V∞ > 1.0 volt) and high fill factors (> 0.7). Further, the a-SiC:H solar cell instability upon prolonged light exposure has been much reduced. Correlation will be made between the properties of bulk undoped a-SiC:H films and the performance of p-i-nsingle junction solar cells using corresponding a-SiC:H thin i-layers.

Nanoparticle-Based Contacts to CdTe

1998 ◽  
Vol 536 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. L. Schulz ◽  
R. Ribelin ◽  
C. J. Curtis ◽  
D. E. King ◽  
D. S. Ginley
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Valence State ◽  
Series Resistance ◽  
Open Circuit ◽  
Standard Methods ◽  
Cdte Solar Cell ◽  
Cdte Solar Cells ◽  
Device Properties ◽  
Open Circuit Voltages

AbstractOur team has been investigating the use of particle-based contacts in CdTe solar cell technologies. Toward this end, particles of Cu-doped HgTe (Hg-Cu-Te) and Sb-Te have been applied as contacts to CdTe/CdS/SnO2 heterostructures. These metal telluride materials were characterized by standard methods. Hg-Cu-Te particles in graphite electrodag contacts produced CdTe solar cells with efficiencies above 12% and series resistance (Rse) of 6 Ω or less. Metathesis preparation of Cu(I) and Cu(II) tellurides (i.e., Cu2Te and CuTe, respectively) were attempted as a means of characterizing the valence state of Cu in the Hg-Cu-Te ink. For Sb-Te contacts to CdTe, open circuit voltages (Vocs) in excess of 800 mV were observed, however, efficiencies were limited to 9%; perhaps a consequence of the marked increase in the Rse (i.e., >20 Ω) in these non-graphite containing contacts. Acetylene black was mixed into the methanolic Sb-Te colloid as a means of reducing Rse, however, no improvement in device properties was observed.

Cadmium Tin Oxide and Zinc Magnesium Oxide Prepared by Hollow Cathode Sputtering for CdTe Photovoltaics

MRS Advances ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (53) ◽  
pp. 3203-3214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan E. Delahoy ◽  
Shou Peng ◽  
Payal Patra ◽  
Surya Manda ◽  
Akash Saraf ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Hollow Cathode ◽  
Open Circuit ◽  
Window Layer ◽  
Cathode Sputtering ◽  
Conducting Oxides ◽  
Heterojunction Solar Cells ◽  
Conduction Band Offset ◽  
Cdte Solar Cells ◽  
Custom Made

ABSTRACTThis work reports the fabrication and characterization of superstrate-type Zn1-xMgxO/CdTe heterojunction solar cells on both CdxSnyO and commercial SnO2:F transparent conducting oxides (TCOs) in which the ZMO and CTO layers are produced for the first time by hollow cathode sputtering. The sputtering is conducted in a reactive mode using metal or alloyed metal targets fitted to a custom-made linear cathode. It is notable that the CdS buffer layer conventionally employed in CdTe solar cells is entirely replaced by the ZMO window layer. The use of ZMO is found to eliminate the blue loss associated with CdS optical absorption and further results in a higher open-circuit voltage. Key parameters were found to be the conduction band offset at the ZMO/CdTe interface and the ZMO thickness. It was discovered that the ZMO exhibits intense photoluminescence even at room temperature. Most of the solar cells were fabricated in the FTO/ZMO/CdTe configuration although CTO/ZMO/CdTe solar cells were also demonstrated. The CTO was produced with an electron mobility of 46 cm2 V-1s-1 without any post-deposition annealing or treatment.

Substrate geometry CdTe solar cells with catalytically-grown nano-rough surfaces

MRS Advances ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (14) ◽  
pp. 985-990
Author(s):  
G. Papageorgiou ◽  
J.D. Major ◽  
K. Durose
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Indium Tin Oxide ◽  
Optical Transmission ◽  
Photovoltaic Performance ◽  
Open Circuit ◽  
Glass Substrates ◽  
Cdte Solar Cells ◽  
Nano Structures ◽  
Cdte Films ◽  
Open Circuit Voltages

ABSTRACTSubstrate geometry CdTe solar cells have been modified with the addition of metal-catalysed nano-structures in order to influence their efficiency. Conditions for the growth of Au- and Bi-catalysed nanostructures were explored. The substrate devices themselves comprised indium tin oxide/CdS/CdTe/Mo foil and were developed using the MgCl2 alternative to the usual CdCl2 processing – this yielded open circuit voltages of up to 740 mV. It was demonstrated that the addition of Au-catalysed nanowires to 200 nm thick CdTe films on glass substrates decreased their optical transmission by 10%, this being significantly higher than for thick films. However, reproducibility issues with forming Bi nanostructures limited the device modification tests to the use of Au-catalysed wires, and these always acted to depress photovoltaic performance.

Solar Cell Contacts Using Nano-Sized Dispersions

1999 ◽  
Vol 581 ◽  
Author(s):  
Doug Schulz ◽  
R. Ribelin ◽  
X. Wu ◽  
K.M. Jones ◽  
R.J. Matson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Spray Deposition ◽  
Short Circuit ◽  
Short Circuit Current ◽  
Cdte Layer ◽  
Open Circuit ◽  
Alloy Formation ◽  
Current Densities ◽  
P Type ◽  
Open Circuit Voltages

ABSTRACTNano-sized dispersions have been employed as precursor inks for the spray deposition of contacts to both Si and CdTe materials. In the case of Si, nano-sized Al particles (nano-Al) were dispersed and spray deposited onto p-type Si. Annealing above the eutectic temperature causes alloy formation yielding a p+ layer with p ∼ 10−4 Ω•cm. For CdTe, nano-sized Te particles (nano-Te) were dispersed and sprayed onto CdTe/CdS/SnO2/glass heterostructures. Contact to the CdTe layer occurred during a 30 min anneal in He (T = 215 to 255 °C). These solar cells were finished by spin-coating the Te layer with Ag paint and subsequently annealing in air (100 °C / 1 h). This approach produces solar cells with open circuit voltages (Voc) from 720 to 800 mV, short circuit current densities (Jsc) from 18 to 20 mA/cm2 and efficiencies up to 10.3%. The performance of these cells was similar to those produced using the standard NREL contact.

scholarly journals Analytical Models of Bulk and Quantum Well Solar Cells and Relevance of the Radiative Limit

2012 ◽  
pp. 59-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
James P. Connolly
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Quantum Well ◽  
Space Charge ◽  
Radiative Recombination ◽  
Light Trapping ◽  
Open Circuit ◽  
Analytical Models ◽  
Injection Currents ◽  
Photon Recycling ◽  
Open Circuit Voltages

The analytical modelling of bulk and quantum well solar cells is reviewed. The analytical approach allows explicit estimates of dominant generation and recombination mechanisms at work in charge neutral and space charge layers of the cells. Consistency of the analysis of cell characteristics in the light and in the dark leaves a single free parameter, which is the mean Shockley-Read-Hall lifetime. Bulk PIN cells are shown to be inherently dominated by non-radiative recombination as a result of the doping related non-radiative fraction of the Shockley injection currents. Quantum well PIN solar cells on the other hand are shown to operate in the radiative limit as a result of the dominance of radiative recombination in the space charge region. These features are exploited using light trapping techniques leading to photon recycling and reduced radiative recombination. The conclusion is that the mirror backed quantum well solar cell device features open circuit voltages determined mainly by the higher bandgap neutral layers, with an absorption threshold determined by the lower gap quantum well superlattice.

scholarly journals The finale of a trilogy: comparing terpolymers and ternary blends with structurally similar backbones for use in organic bulk heterojunction solar cells

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (39) ◽  
pp. 19190-19200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Allison Kelly ◽  
Qianqian Zhang ◽  
Zhengxing Peng ◽  
Victoria Noman ◽  
Chenhui Zhu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Bulk Heterojunction ◽  
Open Circuit ◽  
Ternary Blends ◽  
Heterojunction Solar Cells ◽  
Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells ◽  
Open Circuit Voltages

Comparing the efficiency of terpolymers vs. ternary blends, this study focuses on two polymers with structurally similar backbones (monoCNTAZ and FTAZ) yet markedly different open circuit voltages.

Ladder-type dithienocyclopentadibenzothiophene-cored wide-bandgap polymers for efficient non-fullerene solar cells with large open-circuit voltages

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (7) ◽  
pp. 3307-3316 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qisheng Tu ◽  
Changquan Tang ◽  
Qingdong Zheng
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Polymer Solar Cells ◽  
Wide Bandgap ◽  
Open Circuit ◽  
Open Circuit Voltages ◽  
Excellent Stability

Novel wide-bandgap copolymers based on ladder-type dithienocyclopentadibenzothiophene were developed for polymer solar cells with 9.46% efficiency and excellent stability.

scholarly journals Direct nanoscale mapping of open circuit voltages at local back surface fields for PERC solar cells

2020 ◽  
Vol 55 (25) ◽  
pp. 11501-11511
Author(s):  
Alexandra Longacre ◽  
Michael Martin ◽  
Thomas Moran ◽  
Oleg V. Kolosov ◽  
Eric Schneller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Open Circuit ◽  
Back Surface ◽  
Surface Fields ◽  
Open Circuit Voltages
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