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The thermally stimulated desorption (TSD) curves of oxygen (AMU 16) and cadmium from Class I photoconducting CdS platelets, grown in a N2H2S atmosphere, were studied in the temperature range from room temperature to 550°C. Substantial desorption of oxygen with a maximum around 350°C was observed. The TSD curve for cadmium exhibited a plateau near 400°C, attributed to the desorption of overstoichiometric cadmium from a thin layer near the crystal surface, followed by a sharp rise above 470°C associated with CdS evaporation. Changes in the spectral distribution of the photocurrent (SDP) and dark current were observed upon desorption. Their correlation with desorption and their reversibility upon exposure of the investigated platelets to O2 and an O2H2O mixture and to electron bombardment were investigated. A model for Class I crystals is presented, involving the existence of a Cd‐rich semiconducting layer near their surface, that explains the observed SDP and dark current behavior. In particular, the disappearance of such a layer upon desorption to around 400°C can account for the observed transition from Class I to Class II SDP.

There is a large gap between the vast solar resources and the magnitude of solar energy deployment in Argentina. In the case of photovoltaics, the country only reached the 1000 GWh electricity generated yearly landmark in 2020. Solar thermal technology is even less developed, in part due to the low natural gas prices resulting from political strategies that aim to soften the impact of an unstable economy on family budgets. This review describes this gap by summarizing the current state of Argentine solar energy. We summarize the fundamental legal and strategic tools which are available for solar energy deployment, survey the penetration of solar energy into the country’s energy landscape, identify national contributions to the local value chain, and review past and present research and development achievements. Both photovoltaic and solar thermal technologies show a historical fluctuation between local technology development and imported technology and know-how. Finally, a discussion on the main ingredients required to abridge Argentina’s solar gap indicates that stronger, consistent long-term strategies are required in Argentina in order to take advantage of the present window of opportunity, and to play a considerable role in the global energy transition.

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