Cadmium sulfide/copper ternary heterojunction cell research. Quarterly technical progress report, April 1-June 30, 1978
The objective of this research program is the development of a thin-film photovoltaic solar cell based upon a cadmium sulfide/copper ternary compound heterojunction materials system. The ternary material is chalcopyrite CuInSe/sub 2/ formed by simultaneous elemental evaporation. The research effort has concerned the preparation and characterization of CuInSe/sub 2/ and CdS films and the fabrication and testing of 1 cm/sup 2/ area CdS/CuInSe/sub 2/ heterojunction thin-film devices. A modification to the vapor beam homogenization chamber structure used to deposit the selenide films is described. The successful modification was made to prolong the operational lifetime of the chamber without sacrificing deposited film uniformity. Grain size of CuInSe/sub 2/ is reported to be small (approx. 0.5 ..mu..m) even for films subjected to relatively high processing temperatures. Doping the CdS film during growth with indium is described as an effective means for reducing the CdS resistivity and this contribution to the cell series resistance. Measurements are given indicating resistivities as low as 0.003 ..cap omega..-cm. I-V curves for fabricated cells are presented showing two types of cell behavior. Type 1 has high open circuit voltages and low short circuit currents while Type 2 possesses the reverse characteristics. Maximum values are given as 0.33 V, 23 mA/cm/sup 2/, and 2% efficiency under simulated 100 mW/cm/sup 2/ illumination.
- Research Organization:
- Boeing Aerospace Co., Seattle, WA (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 5757870
- Report Number(s):
- SAN-1458-3
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Growth and characterization of thin-film compound semiconductor photovoltaic heterojunctions
Ternary compound thin film solar cells-II. Second quarter report, January 1--March 31, 1977
Related Subjects
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360601 -- Other Materials-- Preparation & Manufacture
CADMIUM SULFIDE SOLAR CELLS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHALCOPYRITE
COPPER COMPOUNDS
COPPER SELENIDES
COPPER SULFIDES
CRYSTAL DOPING
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
CRYSTALS
DEPOSITION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
EQUIPMENT
EVAPORATION
FABRICATION
FILMS
GRAIN SIZE
INDIUM COMPOUNDS
INDIUM SELENIDES
IRON COMPOUNDS
IRON SULFIDES
JUNCTIONS
MICROSTRUCTURE
MINERALS
PERFORMANCE
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PLATING
POLYCRYSTALS
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SELENIDES
SELENIUM COMPOUNDS
SEMICONDUCTOR JUNCTIONS
SIZE
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SURFACE COATING
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
VACUUM COATING
VAPOR PLATING