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Title: Overcoming degradation mechanisms in CdTe solar cells: First annual report, August 1998--August 1999

Abstract

The authors have studied the importance of chemical processes for the stability of CdTe solar cells, in particular, diffusion in the ohmic contact/absorber junction regions. Both whole cells and test systems containing only the ohmic contact and the absorber are used. They found several experimental methods to be useable tools to follow the effects of impurity diffusion on the CdTe grain boundaries, grain bulk, and surface. In addition, they have explored alternative contacting schemes. The first year of activities led to the following tentative conclusions: Grain boundaries in CdTe/CdS cells are NOT fully passivated and are expected to be electrically active; There appears to be fast ionic diffusion in the vicinity of the Cu/HgTe/graphite back-contact, possibly enhanced by grain boundary diffusion; The macroscopic response to stress is different for cells with identical back-contact, but from different manufacturers. Different factors and/or different reactions to identical factors are possibly at work here; and Ni-P appears to be a promising back-contact material.

Authors:
; ; ; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
US Department of Energy (US)
OSTI Identifier:
754634
Report Number(s):
NREL/SR-520-27932
TRN: AH200013%%8
DOE Contract Number:  
AC36-99GO10337
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: 28 Feb 2000
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
14 SOLAR ENERGY; 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; CADMIUM TELLURIDE SOLAR CELLS; STABILITY; PERFORMANCE; CADMIUM SULFIDES; SOLAR ABSORBERS; GRAIN BOUNDARIES; BACK CONTACT SOLAR CELLS; NICKEL PHOSPHIDES; COPPER; MERCURY TELLURIDES; GRAPHITE; PHOTOVOLTAICS; DEGRADATION MECHANISMS; CDTE SOLAR CELLS; DIFFUSION PROCESSES; ELECTRON-BEAM-INDUCED CURRENT; LIGHT-BEAM-INDUCED CURRENT; CONTACTS

Citation Formats

Cahen, D, Gartsman, K, Hodes, G, Rotlevy, O, Visoly-Fisher, I, and Dobson, K. Overcoming degradation mechanisms in CdTe solar cells: First annual report, August 1998--August 1999. United States: N. p., 2000. Web. doi:10.2172/754634.
Cahen, D, Gartsman, K, Hodes, G, Rotlevy, O, Visoly-Fisher, I, & Dobson, K. Overcoming degradation mechanisms in CdTe solar cells: First annual report, August 1998--August 1999. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/754634
Cahen, D, Gartsman, K, Hodes, G, Rotlevy, O, Visoly-Fisher, I, and Dobson, K. 2000. "Overcoming degradation mechanisms in CdTe solar cells: First annual report, August 1998--August 1999". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/754634. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/754634.
@article{osti_754634,
title = {Overcoming degradation mechanisms in CdTe solar cells: First annual report, August 1998--August 1999},
author = {Cahen, D and Gartsman, K and Hodes, G and Rotlevy, O and Visoly-Fisher, I and Dobson, K},
abstractNote = {The authors have studied the importance of chemical processes for the stability of CdTe solar cells, in particular, diffusion in the ohmic contact/absorber junction regions. Both whole cells and test systems containing only the ohmic contact and the absorber are used. They found several experimental methods to be useable tools to follow the effects of impurity diffusion on the CdTe grain boundaries, grain bulk, and surface. In addition, they have explored alternative contacting schemes. The first year of activities led to the following tentative conclusions: Grain boundaries in CdTe/CdS cells are NOT fully passivated and are expected to be electrically active; There appears to be fast ionic diffusion in the vicinity of the Cu/HgTe/graphite back-contact, possibly enhanced by grain boundary diffusion; The macroscopic response to stress is different for cells with identical back-contact, but from different manufacturers. Different factors and/or different reactions to identical factors are possibly at work here; and Ni-P appears to be a promising back-contact material.},
doi = {10.2172/754634},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/754634}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Feb 28 00:00:00 EST 2000},
month = {Mon Feb 28 00:00:00 EST 2000}
}