Formation of a silver-rich surface layer on electrodeposited CdTe

Journal Article · Tue Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1994 · Journal of the Electrochemical Society; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1149/1.2054760· OSTI ID:7045584

Gheorghita, L; Cocivera, M ^[1]; Nelson, A J; Swartzlander, A B ^[2]

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1. Univ. of Guelph, Ontario (Canada). Guelph-Waterloo Centre for Graduate Work in Chemistry
2. National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States)

CdTe thin films were electrodeposited using a nonaqueous solution of propylene carbonate at elevated temperatures (i.e., 95 to 105 C) and treated with solutions of silver trifluoromethanesulfonate. The silver content of films treated electrochemically with silver salt solution exhibited very little dependence on the applied current density or the silver ion concentration when a constant current was applied for 5 min. Furthermore, if the film was immersed in the silver salt solution for the same length of time with no current applied, the silver content in the film was very nearly the same as that for the electrochemically treated films. These results indicate that the electrochemical treatment has a minimal effect on the incorporation of silver into the film. The silver content in the film reached saturation after a 5 min treatment. The location of the silver in the film as determined by Auger spectroscopy compositional depth profile indicated that the silver was incorporated mainly at the surface of the film in the form of Ag[sub x]Cd[sub (1[minus]x)]Te although a small amount of silver penetrated deeply into the film. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data supported these conclusions. Hall and resistivity data revealed that the carrier transport properties changed markedly when the silver-rich Ag[sub x]Cd[sub 1[minus]x]Te layer coated the surface. A change in the sign of the Hall coefficient as a function of temperature was observed and was explained in terms of the small bandgap of silver telluride and the different dependence of the electron and hole mobilities.

• OSTI ID: 7045584
• Journal Information: Journal of the Electrochemical Society; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of the Electrochemical Society; (United States) Vol. 141:2; ISSN 0013-4651; ISSN JESOAN
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501 -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360101* -- Metals & Alloys-- Preparation & Fabrication
ALLOYS
CADMIUM ALLOYS
CADMIUM TELLURIDE SOLAR CELLS
COATINGS
DATA
DEPOSITION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTRODEPOSITED COATINGS
ELECTRODEPOSITION
ELECTROLYSIS
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FABRICATION
IMPREGNATION
INFORMATION
INTERMETALLIC COMPOUNDS
LYSIS
METALS
NUMERICAL DATA
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
SILVER
SILVER ALLOYS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SURFACE COATING
TELLURIUM ALLOYS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS