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Title: Simultaneous shunt protection and back contact formation for CdTe solar cells with single wall carbon nanotube layers

Journal Article · · Applied Physics Letters
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4938130· OSTI ID:1468792
 [1];  [1]; ORCiD logo [1];  [1];  [2];  [1]
  1. Univ. of Toledo, OH (United States). Wright Center for Photovoltaics Innovation and Commercialization (PVIC), Dept. of Physics and Astronomy
  2. Calyxo USA, Inc., Perrysburg, OH (United States)
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Thin film photovoltaic (PV) devices and modules prepared by commercial processes can be severely compromised by through-device low resistance electrical pathways. The defects can be due to thin or missing semiconductor material, metal diffusion along grain boundaries, or areas containing diodes with low turn-on potentials. We report the use of single wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) layers to enable both protection against these defects and back contact formation for CdTe PV devices. Samples prepared with a SWCNT back contact exhibited good efficiency and did not require shunt protection, while devices prepared without shunt protection using a standard metal back contact performed poorly. We describe the mechanism by which the SWCNT layer functions. In addition to avoiding the need for shunt protection by other means, the SWCNT film also provides a route to higher short circuit currents.

Research Organization:
Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
Grant/Contract Number:
EE0005405
OSTI ID:
1468792
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1234096
Journal Information:
Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 107, Issue 25; ISSN 0003-6951
Publisher:
American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 5 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

References (15)

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Performance of Graphite Pastes Doped with Various Materials as Back Contact for CdS/CdTe Solar Cell journal December 2001
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Grain-Boundary-Enhanced Carrier Collection in CdTe Solar Cells journal April 2014
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Effects of Cu at the device junction on the properties of CdTe∕CdS photovoltaic cells
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Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
25 ENERGY STORAGE
Thin films
Photovoltaics
Semiconductors