Quantitative assessment of selenium diffusion and passivation in CdSeTe solar cells probed by spatially resolved cathodoluminescence

Frouin, Bérengère; Bidaud, Thomas; Pirotta, Stefano; Ablekim, Tursun; Moseley, John; Metzger, Wyatt K.; Collin, Stéphane

doi:10.1063/5.0195398

Title: Quantitative assessment of selenium diffusion and passivation in CdSeTe solar cells probed by spatially resolved cathodoluminescence

Journal Article · 26 March 2024 · APL Materials

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0195398 · OSTI ID:2344974

Frouin, Bérengère ^[1]; Bidaud, Thomas ^[1]; Pirotta, Stefano ^[1]; Ablekim, Tursun ^[2];

^[2]; Metzger, Wyatt K. ^[2];

^[1]

Univ. Paris-Saclay, Palaiseau (France)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

The introduction of selenium in CdSeTe/CdTe solar cells has led to improved device performances attributed to the passivation of bulk defects. In this work, high-resolution cathodoluminescence experiments are performed on a series of CdSeTe/CdTe thin films with different Se concentrations to quantify the mechanisms and the passivation role of Se. We demonstrate a universal dependence between the Se concentration and the radiative efficiency and a ten-fold enhancement of the luminescence between CdTe and CdSe_0.4Te_0.6. Raw luminescence maps are converted into maps of the Se concentration, revealing its graded profile within the stack. We demonstrate the diffusion of Se along CdTe grain boundaries induced by the cadmium chloride annealing treatment and determine the diffusion coefficients, which are more than eight times higher at grain boundaries than in grain interiors. These results provide microscopic insights into the distribution of Se and its impact on the passivation of CdSeTe/CdTe solar cells.

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Research Organization:: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

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

Grant/Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

OSTI ID:: 2344974

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA--5K00-89764; MainId:90543; UUID:04ea26ed-f658-4b13-be41-97247421581f; MainAdminId:72507

Journal Information:: APL Materials, Journal Name: APL Materials Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 12; ISSN 2166-532X

Publisher:: American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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14 SOLAR ENERGY
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Title: Quantitative assessment of selenium diffusion and passivation in CdSeTe solar cells probed by spatially resolved cathodoluminescence

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