Cathodoluminescence spectrum imaging analysis of CdTe thin-film bevels

Moseley, John; Al-Jassim, Mowafak M.; Guthrey, Harvey L.; Burst, James M.; Duenow, Joel N.; Ahrenkiel, Richard K.; Metzger, Wyatt K.

doi:10.1063/1.4962286

Cathodoluminescence spectrum imaging analysis of CdTe thin-film bevels

Journal Article · Fri Sep 09 00:00:00 EDT 2016 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4962286· OSTI ID:1326326

Moseley, John ^[1]; Al-Jassim, Mowafak M. ^[2]; Guthrey, Harvey L. ^[2]; Burst, James M. ^[2]; Duenow, Joel N. ^[2]; Ahrenkiel, Richard K. ^[1]; Metzger, Wyatt K. ^[2]

National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO (United States)
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

We conducted T = 6 K cathodoluminescence (CL) spectrum imaging with a nanoscale electron beam on beveled surfaces of CdTe thin films at the critical stages of standard CdTe solar cell fabrication. We find that the through-thickness CL total intensity profiles are consistent with a reduction in grain-boundary recombination due to the CdCl₂ treatment. The color-coded CL maps of the near-band-edge transitions indicate significant variations in the defect recombination activity at the micron and sub-micron scales within grains, from grain to grain, throughout the film depth, and between films with different processing histories. We estimated the grain-interior sulfur-alloying fraction in the interdiffused CdTe/CdS region of the CdCl₂-treated films from a sample of 35 grains and found that it is not strongly correlated with CL intensity. A kinetic rate-equation model was used to simulate grain-boundary (GB) and grain-interior CL spectra. Simulations indicate that the large reduction in the exciton band intensity and relatively small decrease in the lower-energy band intensity at CdTe GBs or dislocations can be explained by an enhanced electron-hole non-radiative recombination rate at the deep GB or dislocation defects. Additionally, simulations also show that higher GB concentrations of donors and/or acceptors can increase the lower-energy band intensity, while slightly decreasing the exciton band intensity.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States))

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

OSTI ID:: 1326326

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1323563

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA--5K00-66565

Journal Information:: Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 10 Vol. 120; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979

Publisher:: American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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