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CdS/CdTe thin-film solar cell with a zinc stannate buffer layer

Journal Article · · AIP Conference Proceedings
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.57910· OSTI ID:355359
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  1. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado 80401 (United States)

This paper describes an improved CdS/CdTe polycrystalline thin-film solar-cell device structure that integrates a zinc stannate (Zn{sub 2}SnO{sub 4} or ZTO) buffer layer between the transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer and the CdS window layer. Zinc stannate films have a high bandgap, high transmittance, low absorptance, and low surface roughness. In addition, these films are chemically stable and exhibit higher resistivities that are roughly matched to that of the CdS window layer in the device structure. Preliminary device results have demonstrated that by integrating a ZTO buffer layer in both SnO{sub 2}-based and Cd{sub 2}SnO{sub 4} (CTO)-based CdS/CdTe devices, performance and reproducibility can be significantly enhanced. {copyright} {ital 1999 American Institute of Physics.}

Research Organization:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC36-83CH10093
OSTI ID:
355359
Report Number(s):
CONF-980935--
Journal Information:
AIP Conference Proceedings, Journal Name: AIP Conference Proceedings Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 462; ISSN 0094-243X; ISSN APCPCS
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English