Feasibility of using copper indium disulfide for high-efficiency, thin-film solar cells. Annual progress report, 1 November 1983-31 January 1985

Technical Report · Mon Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1985

OSTI ID:5330493

This annual technical progress report contains research results on the feasibility of using copper indium disulfide for high-efficiency, thin-film Solar cells, done by Poly Solar Inc. for the Solar Energy Research Institute. Technical approaches consisted of: (1) preparation of the CuInS/sub 2/ source material by direct synthesis; (2) deposition of CuInS/sub 2/ films on conducting and insulating substrates by the close-spacing chemical vapor transport technique; (3) deposition of CuInS/sub 2/ films by other chemical vapor deposition techniques; and (4) the formation and characterization of heterojunction solar cells. Deposition of p-type CuInS/sub 2/ films on graphite, alumina, and coated graphite substrates by the CSCVT technique using iodine and hydrogen iodide as the transport agent was carried out under several conditions. Compositional, structural, and electrical properties of the films were characterized. Heterojunction solar cells were prepared from CuInS/sub 2//graphite using various window materials. CdS/CuInS/sub 2//graphite structures had an open-circuit voltage of 200-250 mV. The short-circuit current density and fill factor were low because of high series resistance. Preliminary work on the preparation of CuInS/sub 2/ films by the sulfurization of Cu-In has also been done. This process shows considerable promise.

• Research Organization: Poly Solar, Inc., Garland, TX (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-83CH10093
• OSTI ID: 5330493
• Report Number(s): SERI/STR-211-2731; ON: DE85012173
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360601 -- Other Materials-- Preparation & Manufacture
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
ALUMINIUM OXIDES
CARBON
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL COATING
CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION
COHERENT SCATTERING
COPPER COMPOUNDS
COPPER SULFIDES
DEPOSITION
DIFFRACTION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
ELEMENTAL MINERALS
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
FILMS
GRAPHITE
HETEROJUNCTIONS
INDIUM COMPOUNDS
INDIUM SULFIDES
JUNCTIONS
MATERIALS
MICROSCOPY
MINERALS
NONMETALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SCATTERING
SEMICONDUCTOR JUNCTIONS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SUBSTRATES
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SURFACE COATING
THIN FILMS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
X-RAY DIFFRACTION