Emerging materials systems for solar cell applications: Cu/sub 2-x/Se. Third quarterly technical progress report, November 1, 1979-February 1, 1980

Technical Report · Fri Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5579315· OSTI ID:5579315

Mickelsen, R. A.; Stewart, J. M.; Chen, W. S.

The purpose of this program is to investigate the feasibility of using Cu/sub 2-x/Se as a semiconductor material for the low cost production of photovoltaic solar cells. The Cu/sub 2-x/Se films are produced by coevaporation from individually monitored Cu and Se vapor sources. With a substrate temperature of 170/sup 0/C, single phase cubic Cu/sub 2-x/Se films have been produced. These films have a direct band gap of 2.2 eV and an indirect band gap of 1.4 eV. Fabrication of Cu/sub 2-x/Se/CdS cells has begun. Both front wall and back wall cells have been made. A theoretical computation on the thin-film Cu/sub 2-x/Se/CdS cell has indicated an achievable efficiency of greater than 10%.

• Research Organization: Boeing Aerospace Co., Seattle, WA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-79ET23005
• OSTI ID: 5579315
• Report Number(s): DOE/ET/23005-T3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CADMIUM SULFIDE SOLAR CELLS
FABRICATION
COPPER
VAPOR PLATING
COPPER SELENIDES
EVAPORATION
SELENIUM
EFFICIENCY
ENERGY GAP
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SUBSTRATES
CHALCOGENIDES
COPPER COMPOUNDS
DEPOSITION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
MATERIALS
METALS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PLATING
SELENIDES
SELENIUM COMPOUNDS
SEMIMETALS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SURFACE COATING
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
140501* - Solar Energy Conversion- Photovoltaic Conversion
360601 - Other Materials- Preparation & Manufacture