Atomic-Resolution Study of Grain Boundaries in CdTe Using Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy

doi:10.1017/S1431927618001009

Title: Atomic-Resolution Study of Grain Boundaries in CdTe Using Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy

Abstract

CdTe is one of the most promising photovoltaic materials due to its near optimum band gap and a high absorption coefficient. However, the efficiencies of both champion poly-crystalline CdTe photovoltaic cells as well as production line modules are still significantly below the theoretical Shockley-Queisser limit of ~30%. Reduction of non-radiative recombination at grain boundaries is believed to be the key to improving the efficiency of polycrystalline CdTe-based solar cells. Here, atomistic-level characterization, including scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and first principles density functional theory (DFT) modeling, is crucial in developing a fundamental understanding of how grain boundaries affect the solar cells’ efficiency.

Authors:

Guo, Jinglong ^[1]; Sen, Fatih G. ^[2]; Wang, Luhua ^[3]; Nam, Seungjin ^[3]; Kim, Moon ^[3]; Chan, Maria K. Y. ^[2];

^[1]

Univ. of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL (United States)
Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
Univ. of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX (United States)

Publication Date:: 2018-08-01

Research Org.:: Univ. of Illinois, Chicago, IL (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Solar Energy Technologies Office

OSTI Identifier:: 1576760

Grant/Contract Number:: EE0007545

Resource Type:: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:: Microscopy and Microanalysis

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 24; Journal Issue: S1; Conference: Microscopy and Microanalysis 2018; Journal ID: ISSN 1431-9276

Publisher:: Microscopy Society of America (MSA)

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 14 SOLAR ENERGY; CdTe; STEM

Citation Formats


                    Guo, Jinglong, Sen, Fatih G., Wang, Luhua, Nam, Seungjin, Kim, Moon, Chan, Maria K. Y., and Klie, Robert F. Atomic-Resolution Study of Grain Boundaries in CdTe Using Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy.  United States: N. p., 2018. 
        Web.  doi:10.1017/S1431927618001009.

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                    Guo, Jinglong, Sen, Fatih G., Wang, Luhua, Nam, Seungjin, Kim, Moon, Chan, Maria K. Y., & Klie, Robert F. Atomic-Resolution Study of Grain Boundaries in CdTe Using Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy.  United States.  doi:10.1017/S1431927618001009.

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                    Guo, Jinglong, Sen, Fatih G., Wang, Luhua, Nam, Seungjin, Kim, Moon, Chan, Maria K. Y., and Klie, Robert F. Wed .  
        "Atomic-Resolution Study of Grain Boundaries in CdTe Using Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy".  United States.  doi:10.1017/S1431927618001009.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1576760.

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@article{osti_1576760,

  title        = {Atomic-Resolution Study of Grain Boundaries in CdTe Using Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy},

  author       = {Guo, Jinglong and Sen, Fatih G. and Wang, Luhua and Nam, Seungjin and Kim, Moon and Chan, Maria K. Y. and Klie, Robert F.},

  abstractNote = {CdTe is one of the most promising photovoltaic materials due to its near optimum band gap and a high absorption coefficient. However, the efficiencies of both champion poly-crystalline CdTe photovoltaic cells as well as production line modules are still significantly below the theoretical Shockley-Queisser limit of ~30%. Reduction of non-radiative recombination at grain boundaries is believed to be the key to improving the efficiency of polycrystalline CdTe-based solar cells. Here, atomistic-level characterization, including scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and first principles density functional theory (DFT) modeling, is crucial in developing a fundamental understanding of how grain boundaries affect the solar cells’ efficiency.},

  doi          = {10.1017/S1431927618001009},

  journal      = {Microscopy and Microanalysis},

  number       = S1,

  volume       = 24,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {2018},

  month        = {8}

}

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DOI: 10.1017/S1431927618001009

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Works referenced in this record:

Atomic scale study of polar Lomer–Cottrell and Hirth lock dislocation cores in CdTe
journal, September 2014

Paulauskas, Tadas; Buurma, Christopher; Colegrove, Eric
Acta Crystallographica Section A Foundations and Advances, Vol. 70, Issue 6
DOI: 10.1107/S2053273314019639

Atomic and electronic structure of Lomer dislocations at CdTe bicrystal interface
journal, June 2016

Sun, Ce; Paulauskas, Tadas; Sen, Fatih G.
Scientific Reports, Vol. 6, Issue 1
DOI: 10.1038/srep27009

Detailed Balance Limit of Efficiency of p‐n Junction Solar Cells
journal, March 1961

Shockley, William; Queisser, Hans J.
Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 32, Issue 3, p. 510-519
DOI: 10.1063/1.1736034

Works referencing / citing this record:

Effect of selenium and chlorine co-passivation in polycrystalline CdSeTe devices
journal, October 2019

Guo, Jinglong; Mannodi-Kanakkithodi, Arun; Sen, Fatih G.
Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 115, Issue 15
DOI: 10.1063/1.5123169

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Similar Records

Title: Atomic-Resolution Study of Grain Boundaries in CdTe Using Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy

Abstract

Citation Formats

Atomic scale study of polar Lomer–Cottrell and Hirth lock dislocation cores in CdTe journal, September 2014

Atomic and electronic structure of Lomer dislocations at CdTe bicrystal interface journal, June 2016

Detailed Balance Limit of Efficiency of p‐n Junction Solar Cells journal, March 1961

Effect of selenium and chlorine co-passivation in polycrystalline CdSeTe devices journal, October 2019

Atomic scale study of polar Lomer–Cottrell and Hirth lock dislocation cores in CdTe
journal, September 2014

Atomic and electronic structure of Lomer dislocations at CdTe bicrystal interface
journal, June 2016

Detailed Balance Limit of Efficiency of p‐n Junction Solar Cells
journal, March 1961

Effect of selenium and chlorine co-passivation in polycrystalline CdSeTe devices
journal, October 2019