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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Cadmium sulfide/copper sulfide heterojunction cell research. Quarterly technical progress report, October 1-December 31, 1979

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5227879· OSTI ID:5227879

Extensive modifications to the multi-source reactive sputtering deposition apparatus, including the installation of a larger vacuum chamber on the existing pumping system, have been completed. The new chamber provides improved inter-source shielding, an improved substrate mounting and heating system, and a vacuum interlock for introducing substrates. The investigation of CdS resistivity control by In doping has been continued. It has been established that the resistivity of CdS coatings deposited from an In doped target by reactive sputtering in an Ar - H/sub 2/S working gas is very sensitive to the H/sub 2/S injection rate. Thus coatings varying in resistivity from 10/sup 3/ ..cap omega..-cm to 10/sup -1/ ..cap omega..-cm were deposited from a target doped with 1 at. % In as the H/sub 2/S injection rate was varied by only 25%. Microprobe analysis confirmed that the In content in the coatings was identical to that in the target. The resistivity variations are believed to result from variations in the Cd vacancy level and the associated vacancy acceptor compensation of the In donors. The sputter-deposited solar cells fabricated thus far are characterized by a low short circuit current. Cell current-voltage characteristics and capacitance-voltage measurements under solar illumination indicate that the cause is a poor junction collection efficiency due primarily to a low junction electric field in the heat-treated cells.

Research Organization:
Solar Energy Research Inst., Golden, CO (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
EG-77-C-01-4042
OSTI ID:
5227879
Report Number(s):
DSE-4042-T27
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English