Polycrystalline Thin Film Materials and Devices, Annual Subcontract Report, 16 January 1990 - 15 January 1991

Technical Report · Fri Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1991

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6078756· OSTI ID:6078756

Baron, B. N.; Birkmire, R. W.; Phillips, J. E.; Shafarman, W. N.; Hegedus, S. S.; McCandless, B. E.

Results and conclusion of Phase I of a multi-year research program on polycrystalline thin film solar cells are presented. The research comprised investigation of the relationships among processing, materials properties and device performance of both CuInSe{sub 2} and CdTe solar cells. The kinetics of the formation of CuInSe{sub 2} by selenization with hydrogen selenide was investigated and a CuInSe{sub 2}/CdS solar cell was fabricated. An alternative process involving the reaction of deposited copper-indium-selenium layers was used to obtain single phase CuInSe{sub 2} films and a cell efficiency of 7%. Detailed investigations of the open circuit voltage of CuInSe{sub 2} solar cells showed that a simple Shockley-Read-Hall recombination mechanism can not account for the limitations in open circuit voltage. Examination of the influence of CuInSe{sub 2} thickness on cell performance indicated that the back contact behavior has a significant effect when the CuInSe{sub 2} is less than 1 micron thick. CdTe/CdS solar cells with efficiencies approaching 10% can be repeatedly fabricated using physical vapor deposition and serial post deposition processing. The absence of moisture during post deposition was found to be critical. Improvements in short circuit current of CdTe solar cells to levels approaching 25 mA/cm{sup 2} are achievable by making the CdS window layer thinner. Further reductions in the CdS window layer thickness are presently limited by interdiffusion between the CdS and the CdTe. CdTe/CdS cells stored without protection from the atmosphere were found to degrade. The degradation was attributed to the metal contact. CdTe cells with ZnTe:Cu contacts to the CdTe were found to be more stable than cells with metal contacts. Analysis of current-voltage and spectral response of CdTe/CdS cells indicates the cell operates as a p-n heterojunction with the diode current dominated by SRH recombination in the junction region of the CdTe.

• Research Organization: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
• DOE Contract Number: AC36-08GO28308
• OSTI ID: 6078756
• Report Number(s): NREL/TP-214-4502; ON: DE92001171
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
CADMIUM TELLURIDE SOLAR CELLS
COPPER SELENIDE SOLAR CELLS
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
DEPOSITION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
DOCUMENT TYPES
EFFICIENCY
EQUIPMENT
FABRICATION
FILMS
HEAT TREATMENTS
INDIUM SELENIDE SOLAR CELLS
LAYERS
MICROSTRUCTURE
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PROGRESS REPORT
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
TESTING
THIN FILMS
cadmium telluride
copper indium diselenide
polycrystalline thin films
solar cells