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Title: Study of Effects of Cl and Se in CdSeTe Solar Cells Using Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy

Journal Article · · Microscopy and Microanalysis
 [1];  [2];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [4];  [2]; ORCiD logo [1]
  1. Univ. of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL (United States)
  2. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
  3. Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
  4. Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (United States)
+ Show Author Affiliations

Solar cells based on poly-crystalline CdTe thin films are a leading candidate for low-cost conversion of solar energy due to their near optimum band gap, high absorption coefficient and ease of manufacturing. Due to non-radiative Shockley-Read-Hall (SRH) [1] recombination at grain boundaries (GBs), dislocations, and point defects, current CdTe-based solar cell efficiency appears to be limited to ~22%,[2] which is still below the theoretical limit (~30%)[3]. It is well known that CdCl2 annealing is essential for high performing CdTe solar cells due to grain recrystallization [4] and passivation of defect states within the band gap by Cl atoms.[5] Incorporating Se into CdTe to form an alloyed CdSeTe solar cells also shows a high overall efficiency.[6] Simultaneous addition of Cl and Se can further improve the efficiencies of CdTe solar cells, but yet a comprehensive experimental and theoretical study of effects of Cl and Se in CdSeTe solar cell is absent.

Research Organization:
Univ. of Illinois, Chicago, IL (United States); Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Solar Energy Technologies Office
Grant/Contract Number:
EE0007545; AC02-06CH11357; AC02-05CH11231; EE0008557
OSTI ID:
1576759
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1670787
Journal Information:
Microscopy and Microanalysis, Vol. 25, Issue S2; Conference: Microscopy and Microanalyis 2019, Portland, OR (United States); ISSN 1431-9276
Publisher:
Microscopy Society of America (MSA)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (6)

Ultrastructural Characterization of the Lower Motor System in a Mouse Model of Krabbe Disease journal December 2016
Effects of CdCl2 treatment on the recrystallization and electro-optical properties of CdTe thin films
  • Moutinho, H. R.; Al-Jassim, M. M.; Levi, D. H.
  • Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology A: Vacuum, Surfaces, and Films, Vol. 16, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1116/1.581269
journal May 1998
Solar cell efficiency tables (version 52)
  • Green, Martin A.; Hishikawa, Yoshihiro; Dunlop, Ewan D.
  • Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications, Vol. 26, Issue 7 https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.3040
journal June 2018
Electron-Hole Recombination in Germanium journal July 1952
Detailed Balance Limit of Efficiency of p‐n Junction Solar Cells journal March 1961
Polycrystalline CdSeTe/CdTe Absorber Cells With 28 mA/cm 2 Short-Circuit Current journal January 2018

Figures / Tables (1)

Figure 1(p. 2)figure Figure 1

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14 SOLAR ENERGY
STEM
CdTe