Grain boundaries and impurities in CdTe/CdS solar cells

Durose, K.; Cousins, M.A.; Boyle, D.S.; Beier, J.; Bonnet, D.

doi:10.1016/s0040-6090(01)01518-8

Cited by 64 publications

(45 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…[9][10][11] Similarly the diffusion of S into the CdTe alters the optoelectronic properties of the CdTe layer at the interface. There is evidence that the presence of a CdS 1−x Te x interfacial layer resulting from interdiffusion of both S and Te produces more efficient photovoltic ͑PV͒ devices 12 and references therein.…”

Section: As Well As By Indiffusion Of Te Originating Frommentioning

confidence: 99%

Photoluminescence study of polycrystalline photovoltaic CdS thin film layers grown by close-spaced sublimation and chemical bath deposition

Abken

Halliday

Durose

2009

Journal of Applied Physics

124

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Use policyThe full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that:• a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in DRO • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders.Please consult the full DRO policy for further details. Photoluminescence ͑PL͒ measurements were used to study the effect of postdeposition treatments by annealing and CdCl 2 activation on polycrystalline CdS layer grown by close-spaced sublimation ͑CSS͒ and chemical bath deposition ͑CBD͒. CdS films were either annealed in a temperature range of 200-600°C or CdCl 2 treated between 300-550°C. The development of "red," "intermediate orange," "yellow," and "green" luminescence bands is discussed in comparison with PL assignments found in literature. PL spectra from CdS layer grown by CSS are dominated by the yellow band with transitions at 2.08 and 1.96 eV involving ͑Cd i -A͒, ͑V S -A͒ complex states where A represents an acceptor. Green luminescence bands are observed at 2.429 and 2.393 eV at higher annealing temperature of 500-600°C or CdCl 2 treatment above 450°C, and these peaks are associated with zero and a longitudinal optical phonon replica of "free-to-bound" transitions. As grown CBD-CdS films show a prominent red band with four main peaks located at 1.43, 1.54, 1.65, and 1.77 eV, believed to be phonon replicas coupled with local vibrational modes. This remains following postdeposition treatment. The red luminescence is associated with V S surface states and in the case of CdCl 2 treatment with ͑V Cd -Cl S ͒ centers. Postdeposition treatments of CBD and CdS promote the evolution of an intermediate orange band at 2.00 eV, most likely a donor-acceptor pair, and a yellow band at 2.12 eV correlated with ͑Cd i -V Cd ͒ centers. The green luminescence bands observed at 2.25 and 2.34 eV are associated with transitions from deep donor states ͑e.g., Cd i ͒ to the valence band. These states form due to crystallinity enhancement and lattice conversion during annealing or CdCl 2 activation. Observed changes in PL bands provide detailed information about changes in radiative recombination centers in CdS layer, which are suggested to occur during device processing of CdTe/CdS thin film solar cells.

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Section: As Well As By Indiffusion Of Te Originating Frommentioning

confidence: 99%

Photoluminescence study of polycrystalline photovoltaic CdS thin film layers grown by close-spaced sublimation and chemical bath deposition

Abken

Halliday

Durose

2009

Journal of Applied Physics

124

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“…In high-temperature grown cells little or no grain growth is observed, except for the region close to the CdS/CdTe interface, where the small CdS grain size has caused the formation of small CdTe grains during the early stage of the deposition. 126 The overall density of stacking faults and misfit dislocations is reduced by recovery.…”

Section: Sodium Incorporation In Cigsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of thin‐film Cu(In,Ga)Se₂and CdTe solar cells

Romeo¹,

Terheggen²,

Abou‐Ras³

et al. 2004

Progress in Photovoltaics

358

192

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Cu(In,Ga)Se2 and CdTe heterojunction solar cells grown on rigid (glass) or flexible foil substrates require p‐type absorber layers of optimum optoelectronic properties and n‐type wide‐bandgap partner layers to form the p–n junction. Transparent conducting oxide and specific metal layers are used for front and back electrical contacts. Efficiencies of solar cells depend on various deposition methods as they control the optoelectronic properties of the layers and interfaces. Certain treatments, such as addition of Na in Cu(In,Ga)Se2 and CdCl2 treatment of CdTe have a direct influence on the electronic properties of the absorber layers and efficiency of solar cells. Processes for the development of superstrate and substrate solar cells are reviewed. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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“…A useful comparison was made between the present results and the SIMS measurements previously obtained on similar structures from the back wall. 9 Moreover, the displacement of the positive-and negative-ion concentration peaks reported earlier 10 and the accumulation of Sb at the CdS/TCO interface 11 are called into question.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…In studying the distribution of impurities in the CdS, particular care was taken to establish the positions of the concentration peaks for Cl, Na, and S. In a previous report, 10 these elements had been reported as having peaks that were displaced with respect to one another, the cations being closer to the TCO than the anions. The displacement had been attributed to the field structure at the interfaces.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

The distribution of impurities in the interfaces and window layers of thin-film solar cells

Emziane

Durose

Halliday

et al. 2005

Journal of Applied Physics

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We report a systematic multielement study of impurities in CdS window layers by dynamic and quantitative secondary-ion-mass spectrometry (SIMS) with high depth resolution. The study was carried out on CdTe∕CdS solar cell structures, with the glass substrate removed. The analysis proceeded from the transparent conductive oxide free surface to the CdTe absorbing layer with a view to examining the influence of the CdCl2 heat treatment on the distribution and concentration of impurities in the structures. Special attention was paid to the impurities present in the CdS window layer that may be electrically active, and therefore affect the characteristics of the CdTe∕CdS device. It was shown that Cl, Na, and Sb impurities had higher concentrations in CdS following cadmium chloride (CdCl2) heat treatment while Pb, O, Sn, and Cu conserved the same concentration. Furthermore, Zn, Si, and In showed slightly lower concentrations on CdCl2 treatment. Possible explanations of these changes are discussed and the results compared with previous SIMS measurements from the “back wall” (i.e., from the CdTe free surface through the glass substrate) obtained from the same structures.

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Grain boundaries and impurities in CdTe/CdS solar cells

Cited by 64 publications

References 12 publications

Photoluminescence study of polycrystalline photovoltaic CdS thin film layers grown by close-spaced sublimation and chemical bath deposition

Photoluminescence study of polycrystalline photovoltaic CdS thin film layers grown by close-spaced sublimation and chemical bath deposition

Development of thin‐film Cu(In,Ga)Se₂and CdTe solar cells

The distribution of impurities in the interfaces and window layers of thin-film solar cells

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Grain boundaries and impurities in CdTe/CdS solar cells

Cited by 64 publications

References 12 publications

Photoluminescence study of polycrystalline photovoltaic CdS thin film layers grown by close-spaced sublimation and chemical bath deposition

Photoluminescence study of polycrystalline photovoltaic CdS thin film layers grown by close-spaced sublimation and chemical bath deposition

Development of thin‐film Cu(In,Ga)Se2and CdTe solar cells

The distribution of impurities in the interfaces and window layers of thin-film solar cells

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

Development of thin‐film Cu(In,Ga)Se₂and CdTe solar cells