Development of copper sulfide/cadmium sulfide thin-film solar cells

Technical Report · Thu Nov 05 04:00:00 EST 1981

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5717979· OSTI ID:5717979

Szedon, J. R.; Dickey, H. C.; Abel, J. A.; Biter, W. J.

Means were explored to better control wet-chemistry conditions attending formation of the Cu/sub 2/S layer on CdS-based solar cells. Dilution of active solutions in contact with the Cu/sub 2/S layer results in poorer cell performance. Use of an argon gas knife to dry the cell surface after etching, barrier formation, and rinsing allows greater control of process conditions and gives good cell results. Electroplating offers a promising low-cost alternative to evaporation of gold-grid electrodes. Cells with plated grids were significantly higher in efficiency than control cells with evaporated grids.

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA (USA). Research and Development Center
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-77CH00178
• OSTI ID: 5717979
• Report Number(s): SERI/PR-8143-1-T5; ON: DE82005254
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
ARGON
CADMIUM SULFIDE SOLAR CELLS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL COATING
COPPER
COPPER COMPOUNDS
COPPER SULFIDES
DEPOSITION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
DRYING
ELECTRIC CONTACTS
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTRODEPOSITION
ELECTROLYSIS
ELECTROPLATING
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
ETCHING
EVAPORATION
FABRICATION
FLUIDS
GASES
GOLD
LEAD
LYSIS
METALS
NONMETALS
PERFORMANCE
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PLATING
RARE GASES
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SURFACE COATING
SURFACE FINISHING
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
VACUUM EVAPORATION