Cadmium sulfide/copper sulfide heterojunction cell research. Quarterly technical progress report, February 26-May 31, 1979

Technical Report · Tue Jul 31 04:00:00 EDT 1979

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5747080· OSTI ID:5747080

Thornton, J. A.

All-vacuum sputter deposited heterojunction solar cells of the CdS/Cu/sub 2/S and Cd/sub 1-x/Zn/sub x/S/Cu/sub 2/S types have been fabricated on glass substrates by dc reactive sputtering using cylindrical-post magnetron sputtering sources and Ar-H/sub 2/S working gases. The rear electrode is Nb. The top grid electrode is Au sputter deposited through a mechanical mask. Preliminary measurements on nonoptimized cells have yielded efficiencies of about 0.4% with short circuit currents of about 3 mA/cm/sup 2/, open circuit voltages of about 0.35V and fill factors of about 0.37. Extensive modifications are being made to the deposition apparatus which will permit greater control over the process variables and optimization of the cells. A series of experiments are reported which indicated that at the high deposition temperatures used for the Cd(Zn)S deposition (approx. 300/sup 0/C), an electrically active impurity, capable of influencing both the series resistance and the junction behavior of the cells, may pass from the Nb into the Cd(Zn)S.

• Research Organization: TELIC Corp., Santa Monica, CA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: EG-77-C-01-4042
• OSTI ID: 5747080
• Report Number(s): DSE-4042-T5
• 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
CADMIUM COMPOUNDS
CADMIUM SULFIDE SOLAR CELLS
CADMIUM SULFIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
COPPER COMPOUNDS
COPPER SULFIDES
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRON TUBES
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
FABRICATION
GLASS
IMPURITIES
INORGANIC PHOSPHORS
MAGNETRONS
MICROWAVE EQUIPMENT
MICROWAVE TUBES
OPTIMIZATION
PERFORMANCE
PHOSPHORS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SPUTTERING
SUBSTRATES
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS