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Title: Degradation of Mg-doped zinc oxide buffer layers in thin film CdTe solar cells

Journal Article · · Thin Solid Films
ORCiD logo [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1]; ORCiD logo [2];  [2];  [2]
  1. Loughborough Univ., Loughborough, Leicestershire (United Kingdom)
  2. Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (United States)
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Cadmium Sulphide is the conventional n-type buffer layer used in thin film Cadmium Telluride solar cells. It is well known that Cadmium Sulphide causes optical losses and sulphur diffuses into the absorber during high temperature activation. Sputter-deposited Mg-doped ZnO (MZO) has been shown to be an attractive buffer layer for Cadmium Telluride solar cells due to its transparency and tuneable band gap. It is also stable to high temperature processing and avoids diffusion of elements into the cadmium telluride absorber during the cadmium chloride activation treatment. However, degradation is observed in solar cells incorporating MZO buffer layers. Analysis of the MZO film surface potential has revealed significant fluctuations in the thin film work function once the layer is exposed to the atmosphere following deposition. These fluctuations are attributed to the high reactivity to water vapour of the MgO contained in the MZO films. This has been analysed using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy to determine corresponding changes in the surface chemistry. The Zinc Oxide component is relatively stable, but the analysis shows that MgO forms a Mg(OH)2 layer on the MZO surface which forms a secondary barrier at the MZO/CdTe interface and/or at the interface between MZO and the Fluorine-doped SnO2. This affects the Fill Factor and as a consequence it degrades the conversion efficiency.

Research Organization:
Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE); National Science Foundation (NSF)
Grant/Contract Number:
EE0008557
OSTI ID:
1670786
Journal Information:
Thin Solid Films, Vol. 691; ISSN 0040-6090
Publisher:
ElsevierCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Figures / Tables (6)

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Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
Magnesium-doped zinc oxide
Thin film solar cells
Cadmium telluride
Buffer
Degradation
Hydroxide
Surface contamination