Structural and compositional dependence of the CdTexSe1-x alloy layer photoactivity in CdTe-based solar cells

Poplawsky, Jonathan D.; Guo, Wei; Paudel, Naba; Ng, Amy; More, Karren; Leonard, Donovan; Yan, Yanfa

doi:10.1038/ncomms12537

Title: Structural and compositional dependence of the CdTexSe_1-x alloy layer photoactivity in CdTe-based solar cells

Journal Article · 27 July 2016 · Nature Communications

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms12537 · OSTI ID:1295109

Poplawsky, Jonathan D. ^[1]; Guo, Wei ^[1]; Paudel, Naba ^[2]; Ng, Amy ^[3]; More, Karren ^[1]; Leonard, Donovan ^[1]; Yan, Yanfa ^[2]

Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Center for Nanophase Materials Science (CNMS)
Univ. of Toledo, OH (United States). Dept. of Physics and Astronomy
Vanderbilt Univ., Nashville, TN (United States). Dept. of Chemistry

The published external quantum efficiency data of the world-record CdTe solar cell suggests that the device uses bandgap engineering, most likely with a CdTe_xSe_1₋x alloy layer to increase the short-circuit current and overall device efficiency. Here atom probe tomography, transmission electron microscopy and electron beam-induced current are used to clarify the dependence of Se content on the photoactive properties of CdTe_xSe_1₋x alloy layers in bandgap-graded CdTe solar cells. Four solar cells were prepared with 50, 100, 200 and 400 nm-thick CdSe layers to reveal the formation, growth, composition, structure and photoactivity of the CdTe_xSe_1₋x alloy with respect to the degree of Se diffusion. Finally, the results show that the CdTe_xSe_1₋x layer photoactivity is highly dependent on the crystalline structure of the alloy (zincblende versus wurtzite), which is also dependent on the Se and Te concentrations.

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Research Organization:: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program; USDOE Office of Science (SC); USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725; FOA-0000492

OSTI ID:: 1295109

Journal Information:: Nature Communications, Vol. 7; ISSN 2041-1723

Publisher:: Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Title: Structural and compositional dependence of the CdTexSe_1-x alloy layer photoactivity in CdTe-based solar cells