High Efficiency Cadmium Telluride and Zinc Telluride Based Thin-Film Solar Cells, Annual Subcontract Report, 1 March 1990 - 28 Februawry 1992
This report describes work to improve the basic understanding of CdTe and ZnTe alloys by growing and characterizing these films along with cell fabrication. The major objective was to develop wide-band-gap (1.6--1.8 eV) material for the top cell, along with compatible window material and transparent ohmic contacts, so that a cascade cell design can be optimized. Front-wall solar cells were fabricated with a glass/SnO{sub 2}/CdS window, where the CdS film is thin to maximize transmission and current. Wide-band-gap absorber films (E{sub g} = 1.75 eV) were grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) techniques, which provided excellent control for tailoring the film composition and properties. CdZnTe films were grown by both MBE and MOCVD. All the as-grown films were characterized by several techniques (surface photovoltage spectroscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)) for composition, bulk uniformity, thickness, and film and interface quality. Front-wall-type solar cells were fabricated in collaboration with Ametek Materials Research Laboratory using CdTe and CdZnTe polycrystalline absorber films. The effects of processing on ternary film were studied by AES and XPS coupled with capacitance voltage and current voltage measurements as a function of temperature. Bias-dependent spectral response and electrical measurements were used to test some models in order to identify and quantify dominant loss mechanisms.
- Research Organization:
- National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC36-08GO28308
- OSTI ID:
- 7004274
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/TP-451-4999; ON: DE92016403
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
CADMIUM SULFIDE SOLAR CELLS
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
CADMIUM TELLURIDE SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR CELLS
AUGER ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
FABRICATION
MOLECULAR BEAM EPITAXY
PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
PROGRESS REPORT
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
THIN FILMS
ZINC TELLURIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL COATING
DEPOSITION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
EPITAXY
EQUIPMENT
FILMS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SPECTROSCOPY
SURFACE COATING
TELLURIDES
TELLURIUM COMPOUNDS
ZINC COMPOUNDS
photovoltaics
solar cells
high efficiency
cadmium telluride
zinc telluride
thin films
140501* - Solar Energy Conversion- Photovoltaic Conversion
360601 - Other Materials- Preparation & Manufacture