13. 4% efficient thin-film CdS/CdTe solar cells

Journal Article · Sun Dec 15 04:00:00 EST 1991 · Journal of Applied Physics; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.349717· OSTI ID:6023135

Chu, T L; Chu, S S; Ferekides, C; Wu, C Q; Britt, J; Wang, C ^[1]

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1. Department of Electrical Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida (USA)

Cadmium telluride is a promising thin-film photovoltaic material as shown by the more than 10% efficient CdS/CdTe heterojunction solar cells. In this work, thin-film CdS/CdTe solar cells have been prepared using CdS films grown from an aqueous solution and {ital p}-CdTe films deposited by close-spaced sublimation (CSS). The properties of CdS films deposited from an ammonical solution of a Cd-salt, an ammonium salt, and thiourea have been controlled by optimizing the temperature and composition of the solution. The solution-grown CdS films have a high photoconductivity ratio, and its optical transmission is superior to that of vacuum evaporated CdS films. The properties of {ital p}-CdTe films deposited by CSS have been optimized by controlling the temperature and composition of the source material, and the substrate temperature. The properties of CdS/CdTe heterojunctions have been studied; junction photovoltage spectroscopy is used for the qualitative comparison of junction characteristics. Solar cells of 1-cm{sup 2} area with an AM 1.5 efficiency of 13.4% are reported.

• OSTI ID: 6023135
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics; (United States) Vol. 70:12; ISSN 0021-8979; ISSN JAPIA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
CADMIUM SULFIDE SOLAR CELLS
CADMIUM TELLURIDE SOLAR CELLS
CONTROL
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
DISPERSIONS
EFFICIENCY
EQUIPMENT
EVAPORATION
FILMS
HETEROJUNCTIONS
JUNCTIONS
MIXTURES
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
OPTIMIZATION
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
SEMICONDUCTOR JUNCTIONS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SOLUTIONS
SUBLIMATION
TEMPERATURE CONTROL
THIN FILMS