Thin film cadmium telluride solar cells. Technical progress report No. 1, July 1-September 30, 1979
The objectives of this contract are to investigate thin films of cadmium telluride on low cost substrates and to demonstrate the feasibility of producing thin film cells with a conversion efficiency of 10% or higher. Efforts during the first quarter have been direcrted to the construction of apparatus for the chemical vapor deposition of cadmium telluride films, the selection and preparation of substrates, and the deposition and characterization of cadmium telluride films. Cadmium telluride films have been deposited on a number of substrates by the direct combination of cadmium and tellurium on the substrate surface at 550 to 740/sup 0/C. At substrate temperatures below 550/sup 0/C, the deposit is non-adherent. In the temperature range 580 to 740/sup 0/C, the deposition rate is 0.5 to 1 ..mu..m/min, and the microstructure and crystallographic properties of deposited films have been investigated. Without intentional doping, cadmium telluride films deposited on mullite substrates have room temperature resistivities and carrier concentrations of (4-7) x 10/sup 4/ ohm-cm and (6-9) x 10/sup 12/ cm/sup -3/, respectively. Current-voltage measurements of Schottky barriers prepared from cadmium telluride films indicate the rectifying interface in CdTe/W/graphite, CdTe/graphite, CdTe/Al/graphite structures and the presence of pinholes in the films.
- Research Organization:
- Southern Methodist Univ., Dallas, TX (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-79ET23009
- OSTI ID:
- 5496752
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/ET/23009-T1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Thin film cadmium telluride solar cells. Final technical report, July 1, 1979-August 31, 1980
Thin film cadmium telluride solar cells. Final technical report for period July 1, 1979-August 31, 1980
Related Subjects
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CADMIUM TELLURIDES
CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION
CADMIUM TELLURIDE SOLAR CELLS
CARRIER DENSITY
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
FILMS
MICROSTRUCTURE
SCHOTTKY BARRIER DIODES
SUBSTRATES
CADMIUM COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL COATING
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
DEPOSITION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
EQUIPMENT
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SEMICONDUCTOR DIODES
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SURFACE COATING
TELLURIDES
TELLURIUM COMPOUNDS
140501* - Solar Energy Conversion- Photovoltaic Conversion
360601 - Other Materials- Preparation & Manufacture