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

Abstract

The published external quantum efficiency data of the world-record CdTe solar cell suggests that the device uses bandgap engineering, most likely with a CdTexSe1₋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 CdTexSe1₋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 CdTexSe1₋x alloy with respect to the degree of Se diffusion. Finally, the results show that the CdTexSe1₋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.

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [2];  [3];  [1];  [1];  [2]
  1. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Center for Nanophase Materials Science (CNMS)
  2. Univ. of Toledo, OH (United States). Dept. of Physics and Astronomy
  3. Vanderbilt Univ., Nashville, TN (United States). Dept. of Chemistry
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program; USDOE Office of Science (SC); USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
OSTI Identifier:
1295109
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC05-00OR22725; FOA-0000492
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Nature Communications
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 7; Journal ID: ISSN 2041-1723
Publisher:
Nature Publishing Group
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
14 SOLAR ENERGY

Citation Formats

Poplawsky, Jonathan D., Guo, Wei, Paudel, Naba, Ng, Amy, More, Karren, Leonard, Donovan, and Yan, Yanfa. Structural and compositional dependence of the CdTexSe1-x alloy layer photoactivity in CdTe-based solar cells. United States: N. p., 2016. Web. doi:10.1038/ncomms12537.
Poplawsky, Jonathan D., Guo, Wei, Paudel, Naba, Ng, Amy, More, Karren, Leonard, Donovan, & Yan, Yanfa. Structural and compositional dependence of the CdTexSe1-x alloy layer photoactivity in CdTe-based solar cells. United States. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms12537
Poplawsky, Jonathan D., Guo, Wei, Paudel, Naba, Ng, Amy, More, Karren, Leonard, Donovan, and Yan, Yanfa. Wed . "Structural and compositional dependence of the CdTexSe1-x alloy layer photoactivity in CdTe-based solar cells". United States. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms12537. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1295109.
@article{osti_1295109,
title = {Structural and compositional dependence of the CdTexSe1-x alloy layer photoactivity in CdTe-based solar cells},
author = {Poplawsky, Jonathan D. and Guo, Wei and Paudel, Naba and Ng, Amy and More, Karren and Leonard, Donovan and Yan, Yanfa},
abstractNote = {The published external quantum efficiency data of the world-record CdTe solar cell suggests that the device uses bandgap engineering, most likely with a CdTexSe1₋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 CdTexSe1₋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 CdTexSe1₋x alloy with respect to the degree of Se diffusion. Finally, the results show that the CdTexSe1₋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.},
doi = {10.1038/ncomms12537},
journal = {Nature Communications},
number = ,
volume = 7,
place = {United States},
year = {2016},
month = {7}
}

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