Thin film CdS/CdTe solar cells fabricated by electrodeposition

Conference · Thu Jun 30 00:00:00 EDT 1994 · AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States)

OSTI ID:7012074

Kim, D; Pozder, S; Qi, B; Zhu, Y; Furtak, T E; Williamson, D L; Trefny, J U ^[1]

---

1. Department of Physics, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401 (United States)

CdTe cells with efficiencies up to 9.58% were fabricated by electrodeposition. The minority-carrier lifetime in the CdTe measured by time-resolved photoluminescence was 2.39 ns. A first method to characterize CdS microstructure by small-angle x-ray scattering method has been made. Scanning tunneling microscopy performed on 1000 A thick CdS films made by chemical bath deposition revealed a thickness fluctuation of 500 A. Annealing of the CdS films followed by a CdCl[sub 2] treatment did not reduce the roughness, but drastically changed the contour of the grains. Some of the CdCl[sub 2]-treated CdS showed white spots with diameters ranging from about 0.5 mm to 5 mm. These spots are conglomerates of dendritic patterns of either Cd metal or some Cd-rich phase. Optical transmittance of CdS films with various thicknesses (170 A--2400 A) showed a good correlation between thickness and transmittance for photon energies above the bandgap. The effect of CdCl[sub 2] treatment and annealing on transmittance was either negligible or slightly deleterious. CdTe films made by electrodeposition showed a dense, faceted surface morphology and films were under compressive stress after CdCl[sub 2] treatment and annealing.

• OSTI ID: 7012074
• Report Number(s): CONF-9310273--
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States), Journal Name: AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States) Vol. 306:1; ISSN 0094-243X; ISSN APCPCS
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
ANNEALING
CADMIUM SULFIDE SOLAR CELLS
CADMIUM TELLURIDE SOLAR CELLS
DEPOSITION
DIMENSIONS
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTRODEPOSITION
ELECTROLYSIS
EQUIPMENT
FILMS
HEAT TREATMENTS
LYSIS
MICROSTRUCTURE
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RESIDUAL STRESSES
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
STRESSES
SURFACE COATING
THICKNESS
THIN FILMS