Ternary compound thin film solar cells-II. Second quarter report, January 1--March 31, 1977

Technical Report · Fri Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1977

OSTI ID:6814668

Kazmerski, L L

The fabrication and performance of several vacuum-deposited thin-film photovoltaic devices using I-III-VI/sub 2/ chalcopyrite semiconductors are presented. The heterojunctions CdS/CuInS/sub 2/ and CdS/CuInSe/sub 2/ are described with measured solar-conversion efficiencies of 3.25 percent and 6.6 percent respectively. Little photovoltaic response is observed in the CdS/CuInTe/sub 2/ heterostructure. The photovoltaic effect in the first n,p CuInS/sub 2/(3.6 percent) and n,p CuInSe/sub 2/ (3.0 percent) thin-film homojunctions is demonstrated. Light and dark J-V characteristics, spectral responses and device parameters (efficiencies, fill-factor, open-circuit voltages, short-circuit currents and dark saturation currents) are reported for all these devices. Finally, the structure and stability of these ternary-based devices are examined, and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) is utilized to identify possible device degradation mechanisms under various environmental conditions. In the case of the heterojunctions, depth-compositional profiling is used to determine the grain boundary diffusion coefficients of Cd from the CdS in the ternary thin films.

• Research Organization: Maine Univ., Orono (USA). Dept. of Electrical Engineering
• OSTI ID: 6814668
• Report Number(s): NSF/AER-75-19576-2
• 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
AUGER ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
CADMIUM COMPOUNDS
CADMIUM SULFIDE SOLAR CELLS
CADMIUM TELLURIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHALCOPYRITE
COPPER COMPOUNDS
COPPER SELENIDES
COPPER SULFIDES
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
DEPOSITION
DIFFUSION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
FABRICATION
FILMS
GRAIN BOUNDARIES
INDIUM COMPOUNDS
INDIUM SELENIDES
INDIUM SULFIDES
INDIUM TELLURIDES
IRON COMPOUNDS
IRON SULFIDES
JUNCTIONS
MICROSTRUCTURE
MINERALS
PERFORMANCE
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC EFFECT
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
SELENIDES
SELENIUM COMPOUNDS
SEMICONDUCTOR JUNCTIONS
SOLAR CELLS
SPECTRAL RESPONSE
SPECTROSCOPY
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SURFACE COATING
TELLURIDES
TELLURIUM COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
VACUUM COATING