Improved stability of CdTe solar cells by absorber surface etching

Rimmaudo, I.; Salavei, Andrei; Artegiani, Elisa; Menossi, Daniele; Giarola, Marco; Gasparotto, A.

doi:10.1016/j.solmat.2016.12.044

Cited by 38 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…Similar native oxides and chlorides have been observed on CdTe surfaces treated by CdCl 2 . Raman spectroscopy analysis revealed a significant increase in the intensity of stretching modes of Te–Te vibrations after the HI treatment (Figure d), indicating the formation of a Te‐rich back surface as reported in the literature . For the HI‐treated device, the Te concentration is higher than Cd in the surface region.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 83%

“…[14,15] Raman spectroscopy analysis revealed a significant increase in the intensity of stretching modes of Te-Te vibrations after the HI treatment (Figure 1d), indicating the formation of a Te-rich back surface as reported in the literature. [16] For the HItreated device, the Te concentration is higher than Cd in the surface region. After 2 cycles of sputtering (%6 nm), the surface is no longer Te rich as shown in the AES results ( Figure S1b, Supporting Information).…”

Section: Solar Cell Performancementioning

confidence: 99%

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The Effects of Hydrogen Iodide Back Surface Treatment on CdTe Solar Cells

Awni

Grice

et al. 2019

Solar RRL

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An appropriate electrical back contact in CdTe solar cells is crucial to achieving high power conversion efficiency. In this work, a facile back surface treatment method for CdTe solar cells using hydroiodic acid (HI) is developed, and the effects of HI etching on the CdTe surfaces investigated. The electrical properties of the CdTe absorber and interfaces are characterized by current–voltage, capacitance–voltage, admittance spectroscopy, and complex capacitance spectroscopy measurements. The HI‐etched devices show slightly higher apparent carrier concentrations than the control devices, suggesting an increased copper doping in the CdTe absorber. The potential barrier height of the back contact is reduced from 0.430 to 0.368 eV after the HI‐treatment, accompanied by reduced contact resistance and carrier recombination. Additionally, the HI‐treatment eliminates a defect signature at 0.409 eV. The HI‐treatment effects lead to improved power conversion efficiency through enhancement of the fill factor, the short circuit current, and open circuit voltage.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 83%

Section: Solar Cell Performancementioning

confidence: 99%

The Effects of Hydrogen Iodide Back Surface Treatment on CdTe Solar Cells

Awni

Grice

et al. 2019

Solar RRL

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“…The VE‐Cu sample shows two deeper dominant defects (C) in the range of 0.43 to0.45 eV above the valence band, usually detected in our standard samples, which are not clearly attributed. Beach et al as well as Wei et al consider plausible to assign these values to the U‐centre Te 2− i : a deep acceptor level.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 62%

“…From this analysis, we can conclude that depositing CuCl 2 on a Te rich layer (generated by the Br‐MeOH etching), the Te binds with Cu during the annealing step oxidizing to a very limited extent. This is another part of the jigsaw that explains the higher performance of the back contact, because Cu x Te buffer binds Cu and reduces its diffusion in the bulk as shown by Wu et al This buffer can also be generated by depositing copper on the bromine‐methanol etched CdTe surface as shown by Rimmaudo et al…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Cu has previously been detected at the CdTe/CdS interface and at the CdS/CdTe junction forming recombination centres and shunt pathways . For this reason, different approaches have been applied to stabilize Cu at the back contact: such as the formation of Cu x Te compounds by CdTe etching and subsequent Cu deposition, or the use of buffer layers such as As 2 Te 3 and Bi 2 Te 3 in order to avoid copper diffusion, or the development of a ZnTe:Cu back contact …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Analysis of a novel CuCl₂ back contact process for improved stability in CdTe solar cells

Artegiani

Menossi

Shiel

et al. 2019

Progress in Photovoltaics

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One of the crucial points in the production of CdTe solar cells is the insertion of copper in the back contact and in the absorber. As demonstrated by the top performing devices presented in literature: copper is necessary for high efficiency devices. However, despite this, copper was found to be a fast diffuser degrading the cell in the long term. Different approaches for limiting this effect have been widely presented from several laboratories, from the preparation of CuxTe by the controlled evaporation of Cu and Te to the application of ZnTe, which incorporates Cu, blocking its diffusion in the bulk. We have developed a wet deposition method for inserting in the CdTe structure a quantity of copper equivalent to a 0.1‐nm‐thick Cu layer. We are able to reach similar efficiencies to the ones of devices with a standard 2‐nm‐thick evaporated copper layer, but with a dramatic improvement in performance stability.

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Applications of Phosphorene and Black Phosphorus in Energy Conversion and Storage Devices

Pang

Bachmatiuk

Yin

et al. 2017

Advanced Energy Materials

432

253

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Black phosphorus was first synthesized by Bridgman in 1914 [1] but has been less intensively studied in the past century due The successful isolation of phosphorene (atomic layer thick black phosphorus) in 2014 has currently aroused the interest of 2D material researchers. In this review, first, the fundamentals of phosphorus allotropes, phosphorene, and black phosphorus, are briefly introduced, along with their structures, properties, and synthesis methods. Second, the readers are presented with an overview of their energy applications. Particularly in electrochemical energy storage, the large interlayer spacing (0.53 nm) in phosphorene allows the intercalation/deintercalation of larger ions as compared to its graphene counterpart. Therefore, phosphorene may possess greater potential for high electrochemical performance. In addition, the status of lithium ion batteries as well as secondary sodium ion batteries is reviewed. Next, each application for energy generation, conversion, and storage is described in detail with milestones as well as the challenges. These emerging applications include supercapacitors, photovoltaic devices, water splitting, photocatalytic hydrogenation, oxygen evolution, and thermoelectric generators. Finally the fast-growing dynamic field of phosphorene research is summarized and perspectives on future possibilities are presented calling on the efforts of chemists, physicists, and material scientists

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Improved stability of CdTe solar cells by absorber surface etching

Cited by 38 publications

References 38 publications

The Effects of Hydrogen Iodide Back Surface Treatment on CdTe Solar Cells

The Effects of Hydrogen Iodide Back Surface Treatment on CdTe Solar Cells

Analysis of a novel CuCl₂ back contact process for improved stability in CdTe solar cells

Applications of Phosphorene and Black Phosphorus in Energy Conversion and Storage Devices

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Improved stability of CdTe solar cells by absorber surface etching

Cited by 38 publications

References 38 publications

The Effects of Hydrogen Iodide Back Surface Treatment on CdTe Solar Cells

The Effects of Hydrogen Iodide Back Surface Treatment on CdTe Solar Cells

Analysis of a novel CuCl2 back contact process for improved stability in CdTe solar cells

Applications of Phosphorene and Black Phosphorus in Energy Conversion and Storage Devices

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Analysis of a novel CuCl₂ back contact process for improved stability in CdTe solar cells