Development of high-performance transparent conducting oxides and their impact on the performance of CdS/CdTe solar cells
- National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States)
This paper begins with a review of the modeled performance of transparent conducting oxides (TCOs) as a function of their free-carrier concentration, mobility, and film thickness. It is shown that it is vital to make a film with high mobility to minimize the width and height of the free-carrier absorption band, and to optimize the optical properties. The free-carrier concentration must be kept sufficiently small that the absorption band does not extend into that part of the spectrum to which the solar cell responds. Despite this consideration, a high electrical conductivity is essential to minimize series resistance losses. Hence, a high mobility is vital for these materials. The fabrication of thin-films of cadmium stannate is then discussed, and their performance is compared with that of tin oxide, both optically and as these materials influence the performance of CdTe solar cells.
- Research Organization:
- National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC36-83CH10093
- OSTI ID:
- 305639
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/TP-520-25101; CONF-980735-PROC.; ON: DE98007497; TRN: IM9906%%319
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 2. world conference and exhibition on photovoltaic solar energy conversion, Vienna (Austria), 6-10 Jul 1998; Other Information: PBD: Sep 1998; Related Information: Is Part Of NCPV preprints for the 2. world conference on photovoltaic solar energy conversion; PB: 142 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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