Cadmium sulfide/copper selenide cell research. Copper selenide-based thin film solar cells. First quarterly technical progress report, June 1-September 1, 1980

Technical Report · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7176680· OSTI ID:7176680

Mickelsen, R. A.; Stewart, J. M.; Chen, W. S.

The objective of this program is to investigate the use of Cu/sub 2-x/Se to produce low cost, high efficiency photovoltaic solar cells. The goal is to: (1) develop a polycrystalline thin film photovoltaic device capable of 10% conversion efficiency, and (2) demonstrate feasibility of large scale production at a cost of approximately $0.30/watt. The Cu/sub 2-x/Se films are produced by coevaporation of Cu and Se from separate, individually controlled vapor sources onto heated glass substrates. This method gives greater composition controllability and is readily adaptable to large scale production efforts. Two quartz crystal microbalances are used to separately monitor the Cu and Se deposition rates. The structural, electrical, and optical properties of the Cu/sub 2-x/Se films have been measured for deposits made on 250/sup 0/C substrates. The optical absorption measurements shows the material having an indirect band gap of 1.4 ev and a direct gap of 2.2 ev. These values are for stoichiometric indices in the range of 0.17 less than or equal to x less than or equal to 0.26. Hall and conductivity measurements give hole mobilities in the range of 3-7 cm/sup 2//Vsec and hole densities of the order of 4 x 10/sup 22/ cm/sup -3/. For deposits made on substrate at 160/sup 0/C, the mobility is in the range of 3 to 10 cm/sup 2//Vsec and hole densities on the order of 10/sup 19/ to 10/sup 21/ cm/sup -3/ for 0.1 less than or equal to x less than or equal to 0.3. To date, the best cell has photovoltaic characteristics of J/sub sc/ = 11.6 mA/cm/sup 2/, V/sub oc/ = 460 mV, F.F. = 0.62 and eta = 3.3% as tested under simulated AM1 illumination.

• Research Organization: Boeing Aerospace Co., Seattle, WA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-77CH00178
• OSTI ID: 7176680
• Report Number(s): SERI/PR-9216-1-T1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CADMIUM SULFIDE SOLAR CELLS
FABRICATION
CADMIUM SULFIDES
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
COPPER SELENIDES
PERFORMANCE
VAPOR PLATING
CARRIER DENSITY
CARRIER MOBILITY
COPPER
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FILMS
GRAPHS
HOLES
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
POLYCRYSTALS
SELENIUM
CADMIUM COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
COPPER COMPOUNDS
CRYSTALS
DATA
DEPOSITION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
INFORMATION
INORGANIC PHOSPHORS
METALS
MOBILITY
NUMERICAL DATA
PHOSPHORS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PLATING
SELENIDES
SELENIUM COMPOUNDS
SEMIMETALS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SURFACE COATING
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
140501* - Solar Energy Conversion- Photovoltaic Conversion
360601 - Other Materials- Preparation & Manufacture
360603 - Materials- Properties