High resolution lattice imaging of the CdS/CdTe interface

Conference · Wed Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1982 · Conf. Rec. IEEE Photovoltaic Spec. Conf.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5379683

Yamashita, T; Bube, R H; Sinclair, R; Werthen, J G

The authors report here the first high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) imaging of an electrically characterized solar cell structure. An undoped CdS film was thermally evaporated to a thickness of 1 ..mu..m and a resistivity of about 1 ohm-cm onto a freshly cleaved CdTe (110) surface held at 135/sup 0/C. TEM samples were prepared by ion-milling to 100-200 A thickness at the interface area in cross section. The micrograph shown was obtained with a Philips EM400ST microscope at 900,000X magnification. The projection is along the <110> and each image spot (white dots) in the micrograph corresponds to a Cd-Te or Cd-S atom pair. The CdS film has a cubic structure (a /SUB o/ = 5.85 A) as determined from an electron diffraction pattern. The film maintains the same orientation as the CdTe substrate. The lattice mismatch along the interface ( <100> direction) is 10% and is accomodated by the stacking faults in the CdS film and steps at the interface. On the average, an extra (111) CdS plane (inclined 35/sup 0/ to the interface) is expected for every ten CdTe (111) planes; within the region of the photograph the actual number is one in every seven. The heterojunction is characterized by V /SUB oc/ = 0.62 V and J /SUB sc/ = 12 mA/cm/sup 2/ at 85 mW/cm/sup 2/ simulated sunlight; J /SUB sc/ is reduced by the series resistance of the undoped CdS film.

• Research Organization: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford Univ., Stanford, CA 94305
• OSTI ID: 5379683
• Report Number(s): CONF-820906-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Conf. Rec. IEEE Photovoltaic Spec. Conf.; (United States)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
CADMIUM COMPOUNDS
CADMIUM SULFIDE SOLAR CELLS
CADMIUM SULFIDES
CADMIUM TELLURIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CLEAVAGE
CROSS SECTIONS
CRYSTAL DEFECTS
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
EQUIPMENT
EVAPORATION
FILMS
GRAPHS
HETEROJUNCTIONS
IMAGE PROCESSING
INORGANIC PHOSPHORS
INTERFACES
JUNCTIONS
MICROSCOPY
MICROSTRUCTURE
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PHOSPHORS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PROCESSING
SAMPLING
SEMICONDUCTOR JUNCTIONS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
STACKING FAULTS
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
TELLURIDES
TELLURIUM COMPOUNDS
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY