Buffer/absorber interface recombination reduction and improvement of back-contact barrier height in CdTe solar cells
- Texas State Univ., San Marcos, TX (United States)
- The Univ. of Toledo, Toledo, OH (United States)
- National Cheng Kung Univ., Tainan (Taiwan)
Electronic properties of a CdTe solar cell are reported using temperature-dependent capacitance spectroscopy and current-voltage characteristics, the latter in dark and illuminated conditions. The baseline solar cell material stack investigated is comprised of soda-lime-glass/SnO2:F/SnO2/CdS:O-buffer/CdTe-absorber/Cu/Au. Properties are compared with CdTe solar cells in which the back surface was hydroiodic acid etched, before the back-contact formation, and a CdTe device in which Mg-doped ZnO (MZO) replaces buffer layer CdS. Reduced back-contact barrier height and grain boundary barrier height are observed in the HI treated CdTe cell. As a result, improved device performance in the MZO-based CdTe device is attributed to reduced emitter/absorber interface recombination when using the MZO window layer.
- Research Organization:
- Texas State Univ., San Marcos, TX (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Solar Energy Technologies Office
- Grant/Contract Number:
- EE0007541
- OSTI ID:
- 1579310
- Journal Information:
- Thin Solid Films, Vol. 685, Issue C; ISSN 0040-6090
- Publisher:
- ElsevierCopyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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