Thin film cadmium telluride solar cells. Technical progress report No. 2, October 1-December 31, 1979
The objectives of this contract are to investigate thin films of cadmium telluride on low cost substrates and to demonstrate the feasibility of producing thin film cells with a conversion efficiency of 10% or higher. The chemical vapor deposition of cadmium telluride films on foreign substrates by the direct combination of the elements has been further investigated. Inert substrates such as graphite and tungsten/graphite are not suitable for the deposition of device quality cadmium telluride films because of the rectifying interface and pinhole problems. Indium coated W/graphite forms an ohmic contact with n-type cadmium telluride, and the deposited films are essentially free of pinholes. The properties of Ag/n-CdTe/In/W/graphite structures, such as the current-voltage characteristics as a function of temperature, the barrier height, the photovoltaic properties, and the intragrain diffusion length in cadmium telluride, have been investigated. Preliminary work has also been carried out on the deposition of p-type cadmium telluride films on Sb/W/graphite substrates. The reaction between cadmium iodide and tellurium in a hydrogen atmosphere has been concluded to be unsuitable for the deposition of cadmium telluride films.
- Research Organization:
- Southern Methodist Univ., Dallas, TX (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-79ET23009
- OSTI ID:
- 5673126
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/ET/23009-T2
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Thin film cadmium telluride solar cells. Final technical report, July 1, 1979-August 31, 1980
Thin film cadmium telluride solar cells. Final technical report for period July 1, 1979-August 31, 1980
Related Subjects
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360601 -- Other Materials-- Preparation & Manufacture
ANTIMONY
CADMIUM COMPOUNDS
CADMIUM HALIDES
CADMIUM IODIDES
CADMIUM TELLURIDE SOLAR CELLS
CADMIUM TELLURIDES
CARBON
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL COATING
CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION
DEPOSITION
DIFFUSION LENGTH
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTRIC CONTACTS
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
FABRICATION
FILMS
GRAPHITE
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
IODIDES
IODINE COMPOUNDS
JUNCTIONS
METALS
NONMETALS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
REFRACTORY METALS
SEMICONDUCTOR JUNCTIONS
SEMIMETALS
SILVER
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SUBSTRATES
SURFACE COATING
TELLURIDES
TELLURIUM
TELLURIUM COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
TUNGSTEN