Cadmium sulfide/copper sulfide heterojunction cell research. Final report, September 30, 1977-October 31, 1978

Technical Report · Wed Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1978

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5949539· OSTI ID:5949539

Anderson, W. W.; Jonath, A. D.; Thornton, J. A.

A multicathode deposition system has been brought into operation and used to deposit multilayer films of Cu/sub x/S/CdS/Nb in a single pumpdown. In addition, it has been used to prepare In-doped CdS films by cosputtering of Cd and In. Analysis of the photovoltaic devices deposited in the system to date have determined the areas requiring further development. Electrical, optical, and structural measurements on all components of the multilayer films have been carried out and related to the corresponding deposition parameters. The theory of reactive sputter deposition of compound semiconductors has been developed to explain the rate limiting deposition processes and the ease with which a stoichiometric compound is formed. Copper sulfide coatings about 0.15-..mu..m thick were deposited by reactive sputtering from a copper cylindrical-post magnetron sputtering source in an Ar-H/sub 2/S atmosphere. The coating resistivity increased by more than six orders of magnitude with increasing H/sub 2/S injection rate. However, above a critical injection rate the resistivity data indicate two types of materials: a high-resistivity type (approx. 100 ..cap omega..-cm) often exhibiting Cu-rich surface nodules, and a low-resistivity type (approx. zero ..cap omega..-cm). Hall mobilities were in the 1 to 6 cm/sup 2//V-s range for both materials. Optical absorption, resistivity-versus-temperature, and x-ray diffraction measurements indicate that the high resistivity material consists largely of near stoichiometric, chalcocite, possibly stabilized by the excess copper and that the low resistivity material is a mixture of chalcocite and djurleite. Resistivity of CdS and Cd/sub 1-x/Zn/sub x/S films could be controlled by In doping. The all-vacuum photovoltaic junctions deposited to date have displayed V/sub oc/ approx. = 0.3 V.

• Research Organization: Lockheed Palo Alto Research Labs., CA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5949539
• Report Number(s): SAN-1459-5
• 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
360603 -- Materials-- Properties
ALLOYS
CADMIUM COMPOUNDS
CADMIUM SULFIDE SOLAR CELLS
CADMIUM SULFIDES
CARRIER MOBILITY
CHALCOGENIDES
COPPER COMPOUNDS
COPPER SULFIDES
CRYSTAL DOPING
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
DATA
DATA FORMS
DEPOSITION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELEMENTS
FABRICATION
FILMS
GRAPHS
HALL EFFECT
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN SULFIDES
INDIUM ADDITIONS
INDIUM ALLOYS
INFORMATION
INORGANIC PHOSPHORS
METALS
MICROSTRUCTURE
MOBILITY
NIOBIUM
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PERFORMANCE
PHOSPHORS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
REFRACTORY METALS
SOLAR CELLS
SPUTTERING
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
TABLES
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS