Recombination and bandgap engineering in CdSeTe/CdTe solar cells
Abstract
Selenium compositional grading in CdTe-based thin-film solar cells substantively improves carrier lifetime and performance. However, where and how recombination lifetime improves has not been studied significantly. Here, we deposit a CdSexTe1-x/CdTe bilayer on MgZnO/SnO2/glass, which achieves a short-circuit current density greater than 28 mA/cm2 and carrier lifetimes as long as 10-20 ns. We analyze the grain structure, composition, and recombination through the thickness of the absorber using electron backscatter diffraction, Auger-electron spectroscopy, cathodoluminescence spectrum imaging, and time-resolved photoluminescence microscopy. Despite small CdSeTe grains near the pn-junction and significantly larger CdTe grains in the rest of the film, both time-resolved photoluminescence and cathodoluminescence reveal that the carrier lifetime in CdSeTe alloy regions is longer than in CdTe regions. The results indicate that Se both passivates grain boundaries and improves grain-interior carrier lifetime. However, these effects occur only where there is significant alloying, which is important for bandgap engineering.
- Authors:
-
[2];
[2];
[2];
[2];
[2];
[2]
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Univ. of Illinois, Chicago, IL (United States)
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Solar Energy Technologies Office
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1547254
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/JA-5K00-73619
Journal ID: ISSN 2166-532X
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC36-08GO28308
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- APL Materials
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 7; Journal Issue: 7; Journal ID: ISSN 2166-532X
- Publisher:
- American Institute of Physics (AIP)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 14 SOLAR ENERGY; 71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS; 25 ENERGY STORAGE; auger electron spectroscopy; time-resolved photoluminescence; semiconductors; lifetime spectroscopy; cathodoluminescence spectroscopy; solar cells; interfaces; electron backscatter diffraction; spectral imaging; crystallographic defects
Citation Formats
Zheng, Xin, Kuciauskas, Darius, Moseley, John, Colegrove, Eric M, Albin, David S, Moutinho, Helio R, Duenow, Joel N, Ablekim, Tursunjan, Harvey, Steven P, Ferguson, Andrew J, and Metzger, Wyatt K. Recombination and bandgap engineering in CdSeTe/CdTe solar cells. United States: N. p., 2019.
Web. doi:10.1063/1.5098459.
Zheng, Xin, Kuciauskas, Darius, Moseley, John, Colegrove, Eric M, Albin, David S, Moutinho, Helio R, Duenow, Joel N, Ablekim, Tursunjan, Harvey, Steven P, Ferguson, Andrew J, & Metzger, Wyatt K. Recombination and bandgap engineering in CdSeTe/CdTe solar cells. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5098459
Zheng, Xin, Kuciauskas, Darius, Moseley, John, Colegrove, Eric M, Albin, David S, Moutinho, Helio R, Duenow, Joel N, Ablekim, Tursunjan, Harvey, Steven P, Ferguson, Andrew J, and Metzger, Wyatt K. Mon .
"Recombination and bandgap engineering in CdSeTe/CdTe solar cells". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5098459. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1547254.
@article{osti_1547254,
title = {Recombination and bandgap engineering in CdSeTe/CdTe solar cells},
author = {Zheng, Xin and Kuciauskas, Darius and Moseley, John and Colegrove, Eric M and Albin, David S and Moutinho, Helio R and Duenow, Joel N and Ablekim, Tursunjan and Harvey, Steven P and Ferguson, Andrew J and Metzger, Wyatt K},
abstractNote = {Selenium compositional grading in CdTe-based thin-film solar cells substantively improves carrier lifetime and performance. However, where and how recombination lifetime improves has not been studied significantly. Here, we deposit a CdSexTe1-x/CdTe bilayer on MgZnO/SnO2/glass, which achieves a short-circuit current density greater than 28 mA/cm2 and carrier lifetimes as long as 10-20 ns. We analyze the grain structure, composition, and recombination through the thickness of the absorber using electron backscatter diffraction, Auger-electron spectroscopy, cathodoluminescence spectrum imaging, and time-resolved photoluminescence microscopy. Despite small CdSeTe grains near the pn-junction and significantly larger CdTe grains in the rest of the film, both time-resolved photoluminescence and cathodoluminescence reveal that the carrier lifetime in CdSeTe alloy regions is longer than in CdTe regions. The results indicate that Se both passivates grain boundaries and improves grain-interior carrier lifetime. However, these effects occur only where there is significant alloying, which is important for bandgap engineering.},
doi = {10.1063/1.5098459},
journal = {APL Materials},
number = 7,
volume = 7,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jul 22 00:00:00 EDT 2019},
month = {Mon Jul 22 00:00:00 EDT 2019}
}
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Works referenced in this record:
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Works referencing / citing this record:
Radiative Efficiency and Charge‐Carrier Lifetimes and Diffusion Length in Polycrystalline CdSeTe Heterostructures
journal, December 2019
- Kuciauskas, Darius; Moseley, John; Ščajev, Patrik
- physica status solidi (RRL) – Rapid Research Letters, Vol. 14, Issue 3
Enhancement of photovoltaic efficiency in CdSe x Te 1− x (where 0 ⩽ x ⩽ 1): insights from density functional theory
journal, December 2019
- Watts, Michael J.; Fiducia, Thomas A. M.; Sanyal, Biplab
- Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter, Vol. 32, Issue 12
Radiative Efficiency and Charge‐Carrier Lifetimes and Diffusion Length in Polycrystalline CdSeTe Heterostructures
journal, January 2020
- Kuciauskas, Darius; Moseley, John; Ščajev, Patrik
- physica status solidi (RRL) – Rapid Research Letters, Vol. 14, Issue 3