Cadmium sulfide-copper sulfide heterojunction cell research. Quarterly progress report, September 1-December 1, 1978

Technical Report · Fri Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1979

OSTI ID:6378931

The CdS/Cu/sub 2/S cell development effort was directed toward the planar junction cell. This junction gives a higher open circuit voltage than that achieved with the highly textured cell structure. Optical measurements have shown that applying a two-layer anti-reflection coating to the planar cell does not achieve the high photon economy shown by the textured structure. Total reflectance measurements have revealed that this is due to the lack of light trapping in the planar structure. Modified cell designs are now being developed with the planar junction necessary for high open circuit voltage while achieving the necessary light trapping. Work on the (CdZn)S/Cu/sub 2/S cell has revealed that cell performance is extremely sensitive to the method of Cu/sub 2/S producton. Appropriate structural studies have been initiated to identify the underlying reasons. Theoretical analysis and modeling of the current flow in the Cu/sub 2/S layer has shown that the conventional one-dimensional analysis can lead to significant errors in interpreting the effects of sheet resistance. A rigorous two-dimensional current analysis is being conducted. The importance of the changes in absorption coefficient of the Cu/sub 2/S stoichiometry has been identified and the relation between stoichiometry, resistivity, and absorption coefficient derived. On the basis of a review of the encapsulation task in the large scale silicon array program it has been determined that inorganic glasses are probably the only viable encapsulant for a CdS/Cu/sub 2/S cell.

• Research Organization: Delaware Univ., Newark (USA). Inst. of Energy Conversion
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-77CH00178
• OSTI ID: 6378931
• Report Number(s): SERI/PR-8063-1-T4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
ANTIREFLECTION COATINGS
CADMIUM COMPOUNDS
CADMIUM SULFIDE SOLAR CELLS
CADMIUM SULFIDES
CAPACITANCE
CARRIER DENSITY
CHALCOGENIDES
COATINGS
COPPER COMPOUNDS
COPPER SULFIDES
CRYSTAL DEFECTS
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ENCAPSULATION
EQUIPMENT
FABRICATION
FILL FACTORS
INORGANIC PHOSPHORS
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PERFORMANCE
PHOSPHORS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RECOMBINATION
REFLECTIVITY
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SPECTRAL REFLECTANCE
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SURFACE PROPERTIES
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
TRAPPING
TRAPS
ZINC COMPOUNDS
ZINC SULFIDES