Transparent ohmic contacts for solution-processed, ultrathin CdTe solar cells

Kurley, J. Matthew; Panthani, Matthew G.; Crisp, Ryan W.; Nanayakkara, Sanjini U.; Pach, Gregory F.; Reese, Matthew O.; Hudson, Margaret H.; Dolzhnikov, Dmitriy S.; Tanygin, Vadim; Luther, Joseph M.; Talapin, Dmitri V.

doi:10.1021/acsenergylett.6b00587

Title: Transparent ohmic contacts for solution-processed, ultrathin CdTe solar cells

Journal Article · Mon Dec 19 00:00:00 EST 2016 · ACS Energy Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/acsenergylett.6b00587· OSTI ID:1345715

Kurley, J. Matthew ^[1];

^[2]; Crisp, Ryan W. ^[3]; Nanayakkara, Sanjini U. ^[4]; Pach, Gregory F. ^[5]; Reese, Matthew O. ^[4]; Hudson, Margaret H. ^[1]; Dolzhnikov, Dmitriy S. ^[1]; Tanygin, Vadim ^[1];

^[4];

^[6]

Univ. of Chicago, Chicago, IL (United States)
Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)
Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO (United States); National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)
Univ. of Chicago, Chicago, IL (United States); Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

Recently, solution-processing became a viable route for depositing CdTe for use in photovoltaics. Ultrathin (~500 nm) solar cells have been made using colloidal CdTe nanocrystals with efficiencies exceeding 12% power conversion efficiency (PCE) demonstrated by using very simple device stacks. Further progress requires an effective method for extracting charge carriers generated during light harvesting. Here, we explored solution-based methods for creating transparent Ohmic contacts to the solution-deposited CdTe absorber layer and demonstrated molecular and nanocrystal approaches to Ohmic hole-extracting contacts at the ITO/CdTe interface. Furthermore, we used scanning Kelvin probe microscopy to further show how the above approaches improved carrier collection by reducing the potential drop under reverse bias across the ITO/CdTe interface. Other methods, such as spin-coating CdTe/A₂CdTe₂ (A = Na, K, Cs, N₂H₅), can be used in conjunction with current/light soaking to improve PCE further.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Cite

Export

Save

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:: 1345715

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA-5900-67544

Journal Information:: ACS Energy Letters, Vol. 2, Issue 1; ISSN 2380-8195

Publisher:: American Chemical Society (ACS)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Citation Metrics:

Cited by: 28 works

Citation information provided by
Web of Science

References (39)

Solar cell efficiency tables (version 48): Solar cell efficiency tables (version 48) Green, Martin A.; Emery, Keith; Hishikawa, Yoshihiro Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications, Vol. 24, Issue 7 https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.2788	journal	June 2016
Copper (I) Oxide (Cu ₂ O) based back contact for p-i-n CdTe solar cells: Copper (I) Oxide (Cu ₂ O) back contact for CdTe solar cells Türck, Johannes; Nonnenmacher, Hermann-Josef; Connor, Paula M. L. Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications, Vol. 24, Issue 9 https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.2782	journal	May 2016
PEDOT:PSS as back contact for CdTe solar cells and the effect of PEDOT:PSS conductivity on device performance Wang, Weining; Paudel, Naba Raj; Yan, Yanfa Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics, Vol. 27, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-015-3850-1	journal	October 2015
The roles of ZnTe buffer layers on CdTe solar cell performance Wolden, Colin A.; Abbas, Ali; Li, Jiaojiao Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Vol. 147 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2015.12.019	journal	April 2016
CdTe Solar Cells at the Threshold to 20% Efficiency Gloeckler, M.; Sankin, I.; Zhao, Z. IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics, Vol. 3, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1109/JPHOTOV.2013.2278661	journal	October 2013
Controlled activation of ZnTe:Cu contacted CdTe solar cells using rapid thermal processing Li, Jiaojiao; Diercks, David R.; Ohno, Timothy R. Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Vol. 133 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2014.10.045	journal	February 2015
Prospects of novel front and back contacts for high efficiency cadmium telluride thin film solar cells from numerical analysis Matin, M. A.; Mannir Aliyu, M.; Quadery, Abrar H. Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Vol. 94, Issue 9 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2010.02.042	journal	September 2010
14%-efficient flexible CdTe solar cells on ultra-thin glass substrates Rance, W. L.; Burst, J. M.; Meysing, D. M. Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 104, Issue 14 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4870834	journal	April 2014
CdTe/CdS Solar cells on flexible molybdenum substrates Enríquez, J. Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Vol. 82, Issue 1-2 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2004.02.017	journal	May 2004
CdTe/CdS thin film solar cells grown in substrate configuration: CdTe/CdS thin film solar cells grown in substrate configuration Gretener, Christina; Perrenoud, Julian; Kranz, Lukas Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications, Vol. 21, Issue 8 https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.2233	journal	June 2012
Doping of polycrystalline CdTe for high-efficiency solar cells on flexible metal foil Kranz, Lukas; Gretener, Christina; Perrenoud, Julian Nature Communications, Vol. 4, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms3306	journal	August 2013
Single-wall carbon nanotube networks as a transparent back contact in CdTe solar cells Barnes, T. M.; Wu, X.; Zhou, J. Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 90, Issue 24 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2748078	journal	June 2007
Solution-Processed Metal Nanowire Mesh Transparent Electrodes Lee, Jung-Yong; Connor, Stephen T.; Cui, Yi Nano Letters, Vol. 8, Issue 2, p. 689-692 https://doi.org/10.1021/nl073296g	journal	February 2008
Novel Cu Nanowires/Graphene as the Back Contact for CdTe Solar Cells Liang, Jun; Bi, Hui; Wan, Dongyun Advanced Functional Materials, Vol. 22, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201102809	journal	January 2012
Ultrathin CdS/CdTe solar cells by sputtering Paudel, N. R.; Wieland, K. A.; Compaan, A. D. Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Vol. 105 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2012.05.035	journal	October 2012
Simulation Analysis of Thermal Degradation in Graphene Back Contacted CdTe Ultrathin Films Houshmand, M.; Zandi, M. H.; Gorji, N. E. IEEE Transactions on Nanotechnology, Vol. 14, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1109/TNANO.2015.2408878	journal	May 2015
Air-Stable All-Inorganic Nanocrystal Solar Cells Processed from Solution Gur, Ilan; Fromer, Neil A.; Geier, Michael L. Science, Vol. 310, Issue 5747, p. 462-465 https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1117908	journal	October 2005
Solution-Processed Sintered Nanocrystal Solar Cells via Layer-by-Layer Assembly Jasieniak, Jacek; MacDonald, Brandon I.; Watkins, Scott E. Nano Letters, Vol. 11, Issue 7 https://doi.org/10.1021/nl201282v	journal	July 2011
High Efficiency Solution Processed Sintered CdTe Nanocrystal Solar Cells: The Role of Interfaces Panthani, Matthew G.; Kurley, J. Matthew; Crisp, Ryan W. Nano Letters, Vol. 14, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1021/nl403912w	journal	January 2014
Enhanced photovoltaic performance of nanocrystalline CdTe/ZnO solar cells using sol-gel ZnO and positive bias treatment MacDonald, B. I.; Della Gaspera, E.; Watkins, S. E. Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 115, Issue 18 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4875381	journal	May 2014
Blocking thin-film nonuniformities: Photovoltaic self-healing Roussillon, Y.; Giolando, D. M.; Shvydka, Diana Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 84, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1644049	journal	January 2004
Nanocrystal Grain Growth and Device Architectures for High-Efficiency CdTe Ink-Based Photovoltaics Crisp, Ryan W.; Panthani, Matthew G.; Rance, William L. ACS Nano, Vol. 8, Issue 9 https://doi.org/10.1021/nn502442g	journal	August 2014
Improvement in Open-Circuit Voltage of Thin Film Solar Cells from Aqueous Nanocrystals by Interface Engineering Du, Xiaohang; Chen, Zhaolai; Liu, Fangyuan ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, Vol. 8, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.5b10374	journal	December 2015
Enhancement of open-circuit voltage and the fill factor in CdTe nanocrystal solar cells by using interface materials Zhu, Jiaoyan; Yang, Yuehua; Gao, Yuping Nanotechnology, Vol. 25, Issue 36 https://doi.org/10.1088/0957-4484/25/36/365203	journal	August 2014
Range of validity of the surface‐photovoltage diffusion length measurement: A computer simulation McElheny, P. J.; Arch, J. K.; Lin, H. ‐S. Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 64, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.341843	journal	August 1988
Modification of the hole injection barrier in organic light-emitting devices studied by ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy Ding, X. M.; Hung, L. M.; Cheng, L. F. Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 76, Issue 19 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.126449	journal	May 2000
Work function measurements on indium tin oxide films Schlaf, R.; Murata, H.; Kafafi, Z. H. Journal of Electron Spectroscopy and Related Phenomena, Vol. 120, Issue 1-3, p. 149-154 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0368-2048(01)00310-3	journal	October 2001
The effects of oxygen plasma and humidity on surface roughness, water contact angle and hardness of silicon, silicon dioxide and glass Alam, A. U.; Howlader, M. M. R.; Deen, M. J. Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering, Vol. 24, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1088/0960-1317/24/3/035010	journal	February 2014
Safer salts for CdTe nanocrystal solution processed solar cells: the dual roles of ligand exchange and grain growth Townsend, Troy K.; Heuer, William B.; Foos, Edward E. Journal of Materials Chemistry A, Vol. 3, Issue 24 https://doi.org/10.1039/C5TA02488A	journal	January 2015
Chemical Polishing of CdTe and CdZnTe in Iodine–Methanol Etching Solutions Ivanits’ka, V. G.; Moravec, P.; Franc, J. Journal of Electronic Materials, Vol. 40, Issue 8 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-011-1649-2	journal	May 2011
The Rate Law and Mechanism of the Reaction of Iodine with Thiosulfate Ion: The Formation of the Intermediate S ₂ O ₃ I ^- Awtrey, Alice D.; Connick, Robert E. Journal of the American Chemical Society, Vol. 73, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1021/ja01147a147	journal	March 1951
Solution-processing of ultra-thin CdTe/ZnO nanocrystal solar cells MacDonald, Brandon I.; Gengenbach, Thomas R.; Watkins, Scott E. Thin Solid Films, Vol. 558 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsf.2014.02.020	journal	May 2014
Solution Processing of Chalcogenide Semiconductors via Dimensional Reduction Mitzi, David B. Advanced Materials, Vol. 21, Issue 31 https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.200802027	journal	August 2009
Energy Band Structures of Selenium and Tellurium (Kohn-Rostoker Method) Treusch, J.; Sandrock, R. physica status solidi (b), Vol. 16, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1002/pssb.19660160214	journal	January 1966
Donors and acceptors in tellurium compounds; The problem of doping and self-compensation Pautrat, J. L.; Francou, J. M.; Magnea, N. Journal of Crystal Growth, Vol. 72, Issue 1-2 https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-0248(85)90143-5	journal	July 1985
Polymorphic One-Dimensional (N ₂ H ₄ ) ₂ ZnTe: Soluble Precursors for the Formation of Hexagonal or Cubic Zinc Telluride Mitzi, David B. Inorganic Chemistry, Vol. 44, Issue 20 https://doi.org/10.1021/ic050833w	journal	October 2005
Electrical properties of Sb-doped ZnTe thin films Romeo, N.; Sberveglieri, G.; Tarricone, L. Physica Status Solidi (a), Vol. 47, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1002/pssa.2210470205	journal	June 1978
Colloidal Nanocrystals with Molecular Metal Chalcogenide Surface Ligands Kovalenko, M. V.; Scheele, M.; Talapin, D. V. Science, Vol. 324, Issue 5933 https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1170524	journal	June 2009
Composition-matched molecular "solders" for semiconductors Dolzhnikov, D. S.; Zhang, H.; Jang, J. Science, Vol. 347, Issue 6220 https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1260501	journal	January 2015

Cited By (12)

Efficient CdTe Nanocrystal/TiO2 Hetero-Junction Solar Cells with Open Circuit Voltage Breaking 0.8 V by Incorporating A Thin Layer of CdS Nanocrystal Mei, Xianglin; Wu, Bin; Guo, Xiuzhen Nanomaterials, Vol. 8, Issue 8 https://doi.org/10.3390/nano8080614	journal	August 2018
Building Solar Cells from Nanocrystal Inks Luo, Kaiying; Wu, Wanhua; Xie, Sihang Applied Sciences, Vol. 9, Issue 9 https://doi.org/10.3390/app9091885	journal	May 2019
Surface passivation via acid vapor etching enables efficient and stable solution-processed CdTe nanocrystal solar cells Guo, Xiuzhen; Rong, Zhitao; Wang, Le Sustainable Energy & Fuels, Vol. 4, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1039/c9se00902g	journal	January 2020
Applications of Phosphorene and Black Phosphorus in Energy Conversion and Storage Devices Pang, Jinbo; Bachmatiuk, Alicja; Yin, Yin Advanced Energy Materials, Vol. 8, Issue 8 https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.201702093	journal	December 2017
Solution-Processed CdTe Thin-Film Solar Cells Using ZnSe Nanocrystal as a Buffer Layer Chen, Yanru; Mei, Xianglin; Liu, Xiaolin Applied Sciences, Vol. 8, Issue 7 https://doi.org/10.3390/app8071195	journal	July 2018
Atomic Layer Deposition of ZnO on InP Quantum Dot Films for Charge Separation, Stabilization, and Solar Cell Formation Crisp, Ryan W.; Hashemi, Fatemeh S. M.; Alkemade, Jordi Advanced Materials Interfaces, Vol. 7, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1002/admi.201901600	journal	January 2020
Wet chemical etching of cadmium telluride photovoltaics for enhanced open-circuit voltage, fill factor, and power conversion efficiency Bastola, Ebin; Alfadhili, Fadhil K.; Phillips, Adam B. Journal of Materials Research, Vol. 34, Issue 24 https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2019.363	journal	December 2019
Chloride treatment for highly efficient aqueous-processed CdTe nanocrystal-based hybrid solar cells Yao, Shiyu; Liu, Leijing; Zeng, Qingsen Journal of Materials Chemistry C, Vol. 6, Issue 41 https://doi.org/10.1039/c8tc03928c	journal	January 2018
Interface Engineering for Both Cathode and Anode Enables Low‐Cost Highly Efficient Solution‐Processed CdTe Nanocrystal Solar Cells Rong, Zhitao; Guo, Xiuzhen; Lian, Shaoshan Advanced Functional Materials, Vol. 29, Issue 42 https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201904018	journal	August 2019
Water‐Assisted Liftoff of Polycrystalline CdS/CdTe Thin Films Using Heterogeneous Interfacial Engineering Magginetti, David J.; Aguiar, Jeffery A.; Winger, Joshua R. Advanced Materials Interfaces, Vol. 6, Issue 14 https://doi.org/10.1002/admi.201900300	journal	May 2019
Atomic Layer Deposition of ZnO on InP Quantum Dot Films for Charge Separation, Stabilization, and Solar Cell Formation Crisp, Ryan W.; Hashemi, Fatemeh S. M.; Alkemade, Jordi FID GEO https://doi.org/10.23689/fidgeo-4581	text	January 2020
Highly Photoconductive InP Quantum Dots Films and Solar Cells Crisp, Ryan W.; Kirkwood, Nicholas; Grimaldi, Gianluca ACS Applied Energy Materials, Vol. 1, Issue 11 https://doi.org/10.1021/acsaem.8b01453	journal	October 2018

Similar Records

Roll-To-Roll Friendly Solution-Processing of Ultrathin, Sintered CdTe Nanocrystal Photovoltaics

Journal Article · Wed Sep 08 00:00:00 EDT 2021 · ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces · OSTI ID:1345715

Kurley, J. Matthew; Pan, Jia-Ahn; Wang, Yuanyuan; +6 more

Electrical Potential Investigation of Reversible Metastability and Irreversible Degradation of CdTe Solar Cells

Journal Article · Tue Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 2022 · Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells · OSTI ID:1345715

Jiang, Chun-Sheng; Albin, David; Nardone, Marco; +9 more

Copper iodide nanoparticles as a hole transport layer to CdTe photovoltaics: 5.5 % efficient back-illuminated bifacial CdTe solar cells

Journal Article · Wed Nov 03 00:00:00 EDT 2021 · Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells · OSTI ID:1345715

Pokhrel, Dipendra; Bastola, Ebin; Khanal Subedi, Kamala; +7 more

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
CdTe
nanocrystal solar cells
ohmic contacts

Title: Transparent ohmic contacts for solution-processed, ultrathin CdTe solar cells

Citation Formats

References (39)

Cited By (12)

Similar Records

Related Subjects