Direct imaging of Cl- and Cu-induced short-circuit efficiency changes in CdTe solar cells

Poplawsky, Jonathan D.; Parish, Chad M.; Leonard, Donovan N.; Li, Chen; Paudel, Naba; Yan, Yanfa; Pennycook, Stephen J.

doi:10.1002/aenm.201400454

Title: Direct imaging of Cl- and Cu-induced short-circuit efficiency changes in CdTe solar cells

Journal Article · Fri May 30 00:00:00 EDT 2014 · Advanced Energy Materials

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.201400454· OSTI ID:1185383

Poplawsky, Jonathan D. ^[1]; Parish, Chad M. ^[2]; Leonard, Donovan N. ^[2]; Li, Chen ^[3]; Paudel, Naba ^[4]; Yan, Yanfa ^[4]; Pennycook, Stephen J. ^[5]

Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Vanderbilt Univ., Nashville, TN (United States)
Univ. of Toledo, Toledo, OH (United States)
Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)

To achieve high-efficiency polycrystalline CdTe-based thin-film solar cells, the CdTe absorbers must go through a post-deposition CdCl₂ heat treatment followed by a Cu diffusion step. To better understand the roles of each treatment with regard to improving grains, grain boundaries, and interfaces, CdTe solar cells with and without Cu diffusion and CdCl₂ heat treatments are investigated using cross-sectional electron beam induced current, electron backscatter diffraction, and scanning transmission electron microscope techniques. The evolution of the cross-sectional carrier collection profile due to these treatments that cause an increase in short-circuit current and higher open-circuit voltage are identified. Additionally, an increased carrier collection in grain boundaries after either/both of these treatments is revealed. The increased current at the grain boundaries is shown to be due to the presence of a space charge region with an intrinsic carrier collection profile width of ≈350 nm. Scanning transmission electron microscope electron-energy loss spectroscopy shows a decreased Te and increased Cl concentration in grain boundaries after treatment, which causes the inversion. Furthermore, each treatment improves the overall carrier collection efficiency of the cell separately, and, therefore, the benefits realized by each treatment are shown to be independent of each other.

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Research Organization:: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725

OSTI ID:: 1185383

Journal Information:: Advanced Energy Materials, Vol. 4, Issue 15; ISSN 1614-6832

Publisher:: WileyCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 69 works

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