CdTe-based thin film photovoltaics: Recent advances, current challenges and future prospects

Scarpulla, Michael A.; McCandless, Brian E.; Phillips, Adam B.; Yan, Yanfa; Heben, Michael J.; Wolden, Colin A.; Xiong, Gang; Metzger, Wyatt K.; Mao, Dan; Krasikov, Dmitry; Sankin, Igor; Grover, Sachit; Munshi, Amit; Sampath, Walajabad S.; Sites, James R.; Bothwell, Alexandra; Albin, David S.; Reese, Matthew O.; Romeo, Alessandro; Nardone, Marco; Klie, Robert F.; Walls, John M.; Fiducia, Thomas; Abbas, Ali; Hayes, Stuart A.

doi:10.1016/j.solmat.2023.112289

Cited by 67 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 227 publications

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“…The suppressed-recombination physics presented here may not be in synergy with a culture of recombination dominated PV. [71] The well known historical circumstances underlying the latter can explain its overwhelming acceptance: (a) the first semiconductor devices were relatively thick thus giving enough time for the electrons and holes to recombine before they reach the electrodes; (b) the material quality of the first semiconductors was rather poor, with lots of imperfections promoting recombination. Hence, the SRH theory of recombination explaining the observations became a significant part of semiconductor physics.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Voltage deficit in PV with suppressed recombination

Karpov

Shvydka

2023

Applied Physics Letters

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The observed open circuit voltages in best performing solar cells are explained outside of the recombination paradigm, based on such factors as electrostatic screening, Meyer–Neldel effect, and lateral nonuniformities. The underlying concept of suppressed recombination presents a long neglected alternative pathway to efficient photovoltaic. The criteria of suppressed recombination and effective charge carrier extraction are consistent with the data for best performing solar cells.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Voltage deficit in PV with suppressed recombination

Karpov

Shvydka

2023

Applied Physics Letters

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“…Fabrication and Characterization of As-doped Solar Cells 4: The Cd-SeTe/CdTe bilayer device stack was fabricated by vapor transport deposition (VTD) with in situ As doping followed by ZnTe and metal back contact. [17,4,19,25,27] Carrier density determined with capacitance-voltage (CV) was p = 2 × 10 16 cm −3 . JV and EQE characteristics were given in Ref.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In single crystals, As activation (to As Te p-type dopant) can approach 50% (up to p = 10 16 cm −3 ) and 10% (up to p = 5 × 10 17 cm −3 ), [63,64] but in polycrystalline absorbers activation is ≈ 2% resulting in p = 2 × 10 16 cm −3 . [19,4,29,17] Defects introduced by As were also studied, specifically AX centers. [65,68] As-introduced defect clusters were identified with atom probe tomography.…”

Section: Compensation Reduces V Rad Oc In As-doped Solar Cellsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[16] Several breakthroughs enabled 20% efficient solar cells. [5,17] First, absorber composition changed from a binary CdTe to ternary CdSeTe alloy. [18] Use of ternary Cd-SeTe (<40% CdSe) has increased minority carrier lifetimes [13] and radiative efficiencies [12] (typically, by a factor of 100x), correspondingly increasing electron (minority charge carrier) quasi-Fermi level.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Why Increased CdSeTe Charge Carrier Lifetimes and Radiative Efficiencies did not Result in Voltage Boost for CdTe Solar Cells

Kuciauskas

Nardone

Bothwell

et al. 2023

Advanced Energy Materials

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After a focused effort over the last decade, order‐of‐magnitude improvements in doping and electro‐optical characteristics (radiative efficiency, carrier lifetime, and passivation) have been reported for polycrystalline CdSeTe solar cells. Surprisingly, this did not result in higher solar cell voltages regardless of device contacting layers, absorber grading profiles, and other changes in device architecture. From detailed evaluation of radiative emission and carrier dynamics in CdSeTe heterostructures and devices, it is shown that the complexity introduced to the absorber to achieve lifetime and passivation metrics resulted in charge carrier trapping, which now negatively affects CdSeTe absorbers. It is found that the defects with activation energy Ea ≈ 0.14‐0.22 eV dominate radiative emission and carrier dynamics in undoped CdSeTe, and electronic potential fluctuations with the amplitude γ ≈ 45–60 meV are present in As‐doped CdSeTe/CdTe. Because of potential fluctuations, radiative voltage is reduced by ≈ −100 mV, to = 1020‐1050 mV (for 1.4 eV bandgap). For record‐efficiency solar cells with VOC ≥900 mV, radiative and nonradiative recombination voltage losses are comparable, and future research needs to focus on reducing dopant compensation which causes potential fluctuations. This represents a paradigm shift for CdTe solar cells, with non‐radiative bulk recombination no longer representing a dominant voltage loss pathway.

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“…Because the CdTe solar cell's performance depends upon the properties of the back-contact Schottky barrier, an optimal amount of Cu in the back contact improves the device's back-contact properties, such as the back barrier height and V oc and, hence, the device's performance. Cu can be introduced to CdTe by three methods: (i) as a post-situ dopant, 46 (ii) through CuCl 2 treatment, 47 (iii) as part of back contact. 48 The drawback of Cu inclusion in back contact is that it is a fast diffuser.…”

Section: Back Contactmentioning

confidence: 99%

CdTe Photovoltaics in Superstrate Geometry–Back-Contact Materials: A Review

Narayanan,

2023

ACS Appl. Energy Mater.

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CdTe-based thin film photovoltaics: Recent advances, current challenges and future prospects

Cited by 67 publications

References 227 publications

Voltage deficit in PV with suppressed recombination

Voltage deficit in PV with suppressed recombination

Why Increased CdSeTe Charge Carrier Lifetimes and Radiative Efficiencies did not Result in Voltage Boost for CdTe Solar Cells

CdTe Photovoltaics in Superstrate Geometry–Back-Contact Materials: A Review

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