Grain boundary enhanced carrier collection in CdTe solar cells

Journal Article · Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2014 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.112.156103· OSTI ID:1128974

Li, Chen ^[1]; Wu, Yelong ^[2]; Poplawsky, Jonathan D ^[1]; Paudel, Naba ^[2]; Yin, Wanjian ^[2]; Pennycook, Timothy ^[3]; Haigh, Sarah ^[4]; Oxley, Mark P ^[1]; Lupini, Andrew R ^[1]; Al-jassim, Mowafak ^[5]; Pennycook, Stephen J ^[1]; Yan, Yanfa ^[2]

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1. ORNL
2. University of Toledo
3. University of Oxford
4. University of Manchester, UK
5. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)

The atomic structure and composition of grain boundaries in CdCl2 treated CdTe solar cells have been determined with aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy. A high fraction of Te in the grain boundary regions has been substituted by Cl. Density functional calculations reveal the origin of such segregation levels, and further indicate the GBs are likely inverted to n-type, establishing local P-N junctions, which help to separate electron-hole carriers. The results are in good agreement with electron beam induced current observations of high collection efficiency at grain boundaries.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC)
• DOE Contract Number: DE-AC05-00OR22725
• OSTI ID: 1128974
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 112, Issue 15; ISSN 0031--9007
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English