Cadmium-sulphide/copper-sulphide thin-film solar cells: review of methods of producing the CdS and Cu2S layers

Abstract

The methods that have been used successfully for the production of cadmium-sulphide layers in thin-film solar cells are described. The structural, optical and electrical properties of the resulting layers are discussed and related to the properties required in a high-efficiency thin-film solar cell. A description is also given of some less commonly used methods that might be developed into successful techniques for the production of large-area low-cost solar cells.

Electrodeposition of Semiconductors

“…Cadmium sulfide is widely used in solar cells in a CdS/Cu 2 S heterojunction cell. A concise review of CdS solar cells, their history, and some of the methods used for the deposition of this material and the fabrication of junctions for this application is given by Hill [99]. If deposited on ITO it also has potential for use as a window material and for light meters.…”

Thin-film solar cells produced by physical vapour deposition

“…sputtering, for the reasons listed in the preceding paper. 12 Since the penetration of dry-formed junctions down the grain boundaries is less than 1/xm, 2 ' 10 it has been possible to make cells on cadmium sulphide only 3/im thick. Following the work of Gandham, silver has been used as the back contact, with the silver being ion-plated on glass.…”