Indium phosphide/cadmium sulfide thin-film solar cells

Technical Report · Fri Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5439726· OSTI ID:5439726

Zanio, K.

Thin-film InP/CdS structures were prepared by depositing, in sequence, ITO on a low-cost glass substrate, CdS on the ITO by thermal evaporation, and InP on the CdS by planar reactive deposition (PRD). Films of CdS, 15 ..mu..m thick, were recrystallized in flowing H/sub 2//H/sub 2/S at 500/sup 0/C. Lateral dimensions of typical grains were 50..mu..m with values up to 200 ..mu..m. The sheet resistance of the recrystallized CdS (RXCdS) was lowered from greater than 10/sup 5/ ..cap omega../O = cm/sup 2/ to values as low as 16 ..cap omega../O = cm/sup 2/ by annealing in either H/sub 2/ Cd atmospheres. Epitaxy of InP was undertaken on (100) InP at a substrate temperature of 320/sup 0/C. Room-temperature electron mobilities of about 2000 cm/sup 2//V-sec were found. Mobilities and hole concentrations of 60 cm/sup 2//V-sec and 10/sup 17/ cm-/sup 3/, respectively, were achieved with Be-doped films. P-type films with hole concentrations as high as a few times 10/sup 18/cm-/sup 3/ were achieved with increased doping. Be-doped InP was deposited onto the RXCdS/ITO/GLASS substrate to form a thin-film cell. However, p-type InP could not be prepared with CdS as a substrat4e, presumably due to interdiffusion or vapor transport of sulfur. Consequently, blocking action and a photovoltage could only be achieved using a gold Schottky barrier on the InP/RXCdS/ITO/GLASS structure. Plans for the next quarter include determining whether n-type doping from the CdS occurs by either interdiffusion or vapor transport, characterizing InP epitaxy on the RXCdS, and preparing additional thin-film structures.

• Research Organization: Hughes Research Labs., Malibu, CA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: EG-77-C-01-4042
• OSTI ID: 5439726
• Report Number(s): DSE-4042-T25
• 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
ANNEALING
CADMIUM COMPOUNDS
CADMIUM SULFIDE SOLAR CELLS
CADMIUM SULFIDES
CARRIER DENSITY
CARRIER MOBILITY
CHALCOGENIDES
CRYSTAL DOPING
DEPOSITION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
EPITAXY
EQUIPMENT
EVAPORATION
FABRICATION
FILMS
GLASS
HEAT TREATMENTS
INDIUM COMPOUNDS
INDIUM PHOSPHIDE SOLAR CELLS
INDIUM PHOSPHIDES
INORGANIC PHOSPHORS
MOBILITY
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PHOSPHIDES
PHOSPHORS
PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PNICTIDES
RECRYSTALLIZATION
SHEETS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SUBSTRATES
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS