A study of vapor CdCl{sub 2} treatment by CSS in CdS/CdTe solar cells

Journal Article · Tue Jun 15 00:00:00 EDT 2010 · Solar Energy

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/J.SOLENER.2010.03.010· OSTI ID:21320557

Rios-Flores, A; Pena, J L; Castro-Pena, V; Ares, O; Castro-Rodriguez, R ^[1]; Bosio, A ^[2]

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1. Applied Physics Department, CINVESTAV-IPN Merida, C.P. 97310 Merida, Yucatan (Mexico)
2. University of Parma, Department of Physics, v.le G.P. Usberti 7/A, 43100 Parma (Italy)

We report the effect of CdCl{sub 2} vapor treatment on the photovoltaic parameters of CdS/CdTe solar cells. Vapor treatment allows combining CdCl{sub 2} exposure time and annealing in one step. In this alternative treatment, the CdS/CdTe substrates were treated with CdCl{sub 2} vapor in a close spaced sublimation (CSS) configuration. The substrate temperature and CdCl{sub 2} powder source temperature were 400 C. The treatment was done by varying the treatment time (t) from 15 to 90 min. Such solar cells are examined by measuring their current density versus voltage (J-V) characteristics. The open-circuit voltage (V{sub oc}), short circuit current density (J{sub sc}) and fill factor (FF) of our best cell, fabricated and normalized to the area of 1 cm{sup 2}, were V{sub oc} = 663 mV, J{sub sc} = 18.5 mA/cm{sup 2} and FF = 40%, respectively, corresponding to a total area conversion efficiency of {eta} = 5%. In cells of minor area (0.1 cm{sup 2}) efficiencies of 8% have been obtained. (author)

• OSTI ID: 21320557
• Journal Information: Solar Energy, Vol. 84, Issue 6; Other Information: Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved; ISSN 0038-092X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
CADMIUM CHLORIDES
CADMIUM TELLURIDE SOLAR CELLS
CADMIUM SULFIDES
VAPORS
SUBLIMATION
CURRENT DENSITY
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
FILL FACTORS
PHOTOVOLTAIC EFFECT
ANNEALING
EFFICIENCY
SUBSTRATES
ELECTRICAL FAULTS
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
CONVERSION
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0400-1000 K
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
CADMIUM SULFIDE SOLAR CELLS
CADMIUM TELLURIDES
CdS/CdTe solar cells
Intermixing
Vapor CdCl{sub 2} treatment