Advanced processing technology for high-efficiency, thin-film CuInSe{sub 2} and CdTe solar cells. Final subcontract report, March 1, 1992--April 30, 1995

Technical Report · Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1996

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/179202· OSTI ID:179202

Morel, D L; Ferekides, C S ^[1]

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1. University of South Florida, Tampa, FL (United States)

This report describes work performed by the University of South Florida to develop a manufacturing-friendly fabrication process for CuInSe{sub 2} (CIS) solar cells. The process developed under this project uses conventional deposition processes and equipment, does not require stringent process control, and uses elemental Se as the selenium source. The authors believe it can be readily scaled up using off-the-shelf processing equipment and that it will meet the low manufacturing-cost objectives. Another significant achievement under this project was the development of a reactive sputtering deposition technology for ZnO. ZnO is used in many solar cell devices, and sputtering is a desirable manufacturing technology. The application of sputtering has been limited because conventional deposition uses ceramic targets that result in low sputtering rates. The use of Zn metal as the target in reactive sputtering overcomes this limitation. The authors have demonstrated that ZnO deposited by reactive sputtering has state-of-the-art opto-electronic properties. These developments result in large-area uniformity and optimized performance and provide a significant opportunity for applying and commercializing the technology. The second objective of this project was to fabricate high-efficiency CdTe solar cells using manufacturing-friendly processes. Three deposition processes were used to deposit CdS films: chemical bath deposition, rf sputtering, and close-spaced sublimation (CSS). The CdTe films were deposited by CSS. A cell with a record efficiency of 15.8% was obtained.

• Research Organization: National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Univ. of South Florida, Tampa, FL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC36-83CH10093
• OSTI ID: 179202
• Report Number(s): NREL/TP-451-20590; ON: DE96000513; TRN: AHC29603%%27
• Resource Relation: Other Information: PBD: Jan 1996
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
14 SOLAR ENERGY
COPPER SELENIDE SOLAR CELLS
FABRICATION
INDIUM SELENIDE SOLAR CELLS
CADMIUM TELLURIDE SOLAR CELLS
ZINC OXIDES
SPUTTERING
CADMIUM SULFIDES
CHEMICAL COATING
SUBLIMATION
CADMIUM TELLURIDES
CADMIUM SULFIDE SOLAR CELLS
PROGRESS REPORT
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
QUANTUM EFFICIENCY
CRYSTAL DEFECTS
PERFORMANCE
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
PROCESSING
HIGH EFFICIENCY
THIN FILMS
COPPER INDIUM DISELENIDE
CADMIUM TELLURIDE
PHOTOVOLTAICS
SOLAR CELLS
DEPOSITION
ZINC OXIDE
CADMIUM SULFIDE