Development of copper sulfide/cadmium sulfide thin film solar cells. Third technical progress report, 13 January-12 April 1980

Technical Report · Wed Jul 23 04:00:00 EDT 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7045480· OSTI ID:7045480

Szedon, J. R.; Shirland, F. A.; Stoll, J. A.; Dickey, H. C.; Biter, W. J.

During the course of this quarter, peak cell performance has been improved from 0.455V to 0.510V, from 11.8 to 20.2 mA/cm/sup 2/ and from 3.3% to 6.5% as regards open circuit voltage, short circuit current density and conversion efficiency, respectively. Information exchanges and critical reviews of process details have been made with the cooperation of the group at the Institute of Energy Conversion, University of Delaware. As a result of these, two areas were identified which lead to higher cell performance. Substrate temperature control and monitoring to higher cell performance. Substrate temperature control and monitoring during deposition were improved by the use of a thermocouple welded to the foil substrate. Fast, thorough rinsing of the CdS films in the interval between the etch for surface texturing and the immersion in cuprous chloride for barrier formation resulted in less reflective surfaces, and simultaneously high short circuit current and open circuit voltage performance.

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Research and Development Center, Pittsburgh, PA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-77CH00178
• OSTI ID: 7045480
• Report Number(s): SERI/PR-8143-1-T2
• 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
CADMIUM COMPOUNDS
CADMIUM SULFIDE SOLAR CELLS
CADMIUM SULFIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CLEANING
COPPER COMPOUNDS
COPPER SULFIDES
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
DEPOSITION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
EQUIPMENT
ETCHING
FABRICATION
FILMS
GRAIN SIZE
INORGANIC PHOSPHORS
MICROSCOPY
MICROSTRUCTURE
MONITORING
PERFORMANCE
PHOSPHORS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PLATING
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SIZE
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SUBSTRATES
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SURFACE CLEANING
SURFACE COATING
SURFACE FINISHING
TEMPERATURE MONITORING
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
VAPOR PLATING