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Title: CdTe-Based Solar Cells with Variations in Mg Concentration in the MgZnO Emitter

Abstract

The optimal fraction of Mg incorporation in sputter‐deposited Mg X Zn 1− X O (MZO) emitters for thin‐film CdTe‐based solar cells is evaluated by varying it over a range of x from 0 to 0.35. This range allows a variation in the conduction band offset from −0.1 eV (cliff like) to +0.32 eV (spike like). A maximum efficiency of 18.5% for cells with the bilayer CdSeTe/CdTe absorber occurs at x  = 0.15, which corresponds to a spike‐like band offset near 0.2 eV, as confirmed by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. In addition, good cell performance is seen over a fairly broad range of x extending from 0.1 to 0.25. The MZO optical bandgap increases with the Mg fraction, consistent with an increasing conduction band offset. Temperature‐dependent current−voltage measurements and time‐resolved photoluminescence show improvement in the emitter/absorber interface with the incorporation of Mg. Capacitance−voltage measurements show that the depletion region extends further into the absorber with more Mg, and X‐ray diffraction confirms a change from a hexagonal‐dominant crystal structure toward zinc blende at x  = 0.35.

Authors:
ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [1];  [1];  [1]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [1]
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  1. Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (United States)
  2. National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
OSTI Identifier:
1782803
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1781239
Report Number(s):
NREL/JA-5900-79942
Journal ID: ISSN 2367-198X; MainId:39160;UUID:936ac3c4-171c-4d2e-a533-ab0039af143b;MainAdminID:22444
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC36-08GO28308
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Solar RRL
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 5; Journal Issue: 7; Journal ID: ISSN 2367-198X
Publisher:
Wiley
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
14 SOLAR ENERGY; CdTe; MZO; thin-film solar cells

Citation Formats

Pandey, Ramesh, Munshi, Amit, Shimpi, Tushar, Shah, Akash, Bothwell, Alexandra, Kuciauskas, Darius, and Sites, James R. CdTe-Based Solar Cells with Variations in Mg Concentration in the MgZnO Emitter. United States: N. p., 2021. Web. doi:10.1002/solr.202100126.
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Pandey, Ramesh, Munshi, Amit, Shimpi, Tushar, Shah, Akash, Bothwell, Alexandra, Kuciauskas, Darius, & Sites, James R. CdTe-Based Solar Cells with Variations in Mg Concentration in the MgZnO Emitter. United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/solr.202100126
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Pandey, Ramesh, Munshi, Amit, Shimpi, Tushar, Shah, Akash, Bothwell, Alexandra, Kuciauskas, Darius, and Sites, James R. Wed . "CdTe-Based Solar Cells with Variations in Mg Concentration in the MgZnO Emitter". United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/solr.202100126. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1782803.
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@article{osti_1782803,
title = {CdTe-Based Solar Cells with Variations in Mg Concentration in the MgZnO Emitter},
author = {Pandey, Ramesh and Munshi, Amit and Shimpi, Tushar and Shah, Akash and Bothwell, Alexandra and Kuciauskas, Darius and Sites, James R.},
abstractNote = {The optimal fraction of Mg incorporation in sputter‐deposited Mg X Zn 1− X O (MZO) emitters for thin‐film CdTe‐based solar cells is evaluated by varying it over a range of x from 0 to 0.35. This range allows a variation in the conduction band offset from −0.1 eV (cliff like) to +0.32 eV (spike like). A maximum efficiency of 18.5% for cells with the bilayer CdSeTe/CdTe absorber occurs at x  = 0.15, which corresponds to a spike‐like band offset near 0.2 eV, as confirmed by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. In addition, good cell performance is seen over a fairly broad range of x extending from 0.1 to 0.25. The MZO optical bandgap increases with the Mg fraction, consistent with an increasing conduction band offset. Temperature‐dependent current−voltage measurements and time‐resolved photoluminescence show improvement in the emitter/absorber interface with the incorporation of Mg. Capacitance−voltage measurements show that the depletion region extends further into the absorber with more Mg, and X‐ray diffraction confirms a change from a hexagonal‐dominant crystal structure toward zinc blende at x  = 0.35.},
doi = {10.1002/solr.202100126},
journal = {Solar RRL},
number = 7,
volume = 5,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Apr 21 00:00:00 EDT 2021},
month = {Wed Apr 21 00:00:00 EDT 2021}
}
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Journal Article:
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Publisher's Version of Record
https://doi.org/10.1002/solr.202100126
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