Study of thin film poly-crystalline CdTe solar cells presenting high acceptor concentrations achieved by in-situ arsenic doping

Kartopu, G.; Oklobia, O.; Turkay, D.; Diercks, D. R.; Gorman, B. P.; Barrioz, V.; Campbell, S.; Major, J. D.; Al Turkestani, M. K.; Yerci, S.; Barnes, Teresa M.; Beattie, N. S.; Zoppi, G.; Jones, S.; Irvine, S. J. C.

doi:10.1016/j.solmat.2019.02.025

Title: Study of thin film poly-crystalline CdTe solar cells presenting high acceptor concentrations achieved by in-situ arsenic doping

Journal Article · Tue Feb 26 00:00:00 EST 2019 · Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2019.02.025· OSTI ID:1501659

Kartopu, G. ^[1]; Oklobia, O. ^[1]; Turkay, D. ^[2]; Diercks, D. R. ^[3]; Gorman, B. P. ^[3]; Barrioz, V. ^[4]; Campbell, S. ^[4]; Major, J. D. ^[5]; Al Turkestani, M. K. ^[6]; Yerci, S. ^[2]; Barnes, Teresa M. ^[7]; Beattie, N. S. ^[4]; Zoppi, G. ^[4]; Jones, S. ^[1]; Irvine, S. J. C. ^[1]

Swansea University (United Kingdom)
Middle East Technical University, Ankara (Turkey)
Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO (United States)
Northumbria University (United Kingdom)
University of Liverpool (United Kingdom)
Umm Al-Qura University, Mecca (Saudi Arabia)
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Doping of CdTe using Group-V elements (As, P, and Sb) has gained interest in pursuit of increasing the cell voltage of CdTe thin film solar devices. Studies on bulk CdTe crystals have shown that much higher acceptor concentration than the traditional copper treatment is possible with As, P or Sb, enabled by high process temperature and/or rapid thermal quenching under Cd overpressure. We report a comprehensive study on in-situ As doping of poly-crystalline CdTe solar cells by MOCVD, whereby high acceptor densities, approaching 3 x 10¹⁶ cm^-3 were achieved at low growth temperature of 390 degrees C. No As segregation could be detected at grain boundaries, even for 10¹⁹ As cm^-3. A shallow acceptor level (+0.1 eV) due to As_Te substitutional doping and deep-level defects were observed at elevated As concentrations. Devices with variable As doping were analysed. Narrowing of the depletion layer, enhancement of bulk recombination, and reduction in device current and red response, albeit a small near infrared gain due to optical gap reduction, were observed at high concentrations. Device modelling indicated that the properties of the n-type window layer and associated interfacial recombination velocity are highly critical when the absorber doping is relatively high, demonstrating a route for obtaining high cell voltage.

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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)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

OSTI ID:: 1501659

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA-5K00-73483

Journal Information:: Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Vol. 194, Issue C; ISSN 0927-0248

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 47 works

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