Research strategies toward improving thin-film CdTe photovoltaic devices beyond 20% conversion efficiency

Gessert, T. A.; Wei, Su‐Huai; Ma, Jie; Albin, David S.; Dhere, R. G.; Duenow, Joel N.; Kuciauskas, Darius; Kanevce, Ana; Barnes, Teresa M.; Burst, James M.; Rance, William L.; Reese, Matthew O.; Moutinho, H. R.

doi:10.1016/j.solmat.2013.05.055

Cited by 96 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…Additionally, the majority of Cu in solar cells is segregated at grain boundaries [5]. This can influence the minority carrier life time which is limited by recombination at bulk defects and at grain boundaries in the CdTe layer [9]. …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Structural and electronic properties of CdTe_1-xSe_x films and their application in solar cells

Lingg

Spescha

Haass

et al. 2018

Science and Technology of Advanced Materials

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The performance improvement of conventional CdTe solar cells is mainly limited by doping concentration and minority carrier life time. Alloying CdTe with an isovalent element changes its properties, for example its band gap and behaviour of dopants, which has a significant impact on its performance as a solar cell absorber. In this work, the structural, optical, and electronic properties of CdTe1-xSex films are examined for different Se concentrations. The band gap of this compound changes with composition with a minimum of 1.40 eV for x = 0.3. We show that with increasing x, the lattice constant of CdTe1-xSex decreases, which can influence the solubility of dopants. We find that alloying CdTe with Se changes the effect of Cu doping on the p-type conductivity in CdTe1-xSex, reducing the achievable charge carrier concentration with increasing x. Using a front surface CdTe1-xSex layer, compositional, structural and electronic grading is introduced to solar cells. The efficiency is increased, mostly due to an increase in the short-circuit current density caused by a combination of lower band gap and a better interface between the absorber and window layer, despite a loss in the open-circuit voltage caused by the lower band gap and reduced charge carrier concentration.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Structural and electronic properties of CdTe_1-xSe_x films and their application in solar cells

Lingg

Spescha

Haass

et al. 2018

Science and Technology of Advanced Materials

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show abstract

“…The back electrical (Al or Ca/Al) [32] contact was a low work function metal, which could form a rectifying junction with the CdTe NCs active layer. The thickness of CdTe NC layer is around 360 nm, about 10% of the material used in more established CdTe deposition techniques [33], which is less than the minority carrier diffusion length [34]. The optimal device had power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 5.0%.…”

Section: Schottky Junction Solar Cellsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recent Progress on Solution-Processed CdTe Nanocrystals Solar Cells

Hao

Xie

et al. 2016

Applied Sciences

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Solution-processed CdTe nanocrystals (NCs) photovoltaic devices have many advantages, both in commercial manufacture and daily operation, due to the low-cost fabrication process, which becomes a competitive candidate for next-generation solar cells. All solution-processed CdTe NCs solar cells were first reported in 2005. In recent years, they have increased over four-fold in power conversion efficiency. The latest devices achieve AM 1.5 G power conversion efficiency up to 12.0%, values comparable to those of commercial thin film CdTe/CdS solar cells fabricated by the close-space sublimation (CSS) method. Here we review the progress and prospects in this field, focusing on new insights into CdTe NCs synthesized, device fabrication, NC solar cell operation, and how these findings give guidance on optimizing solar cell performance.

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“…Успехи фотовольтаического преобразования энергии излучения с помощью тонкопленочных солнечных эле-ментов связаны с фотопреобразователями на основе пле-нок CdTe (эффективность ∼ 21%) и CuInGaSe (CIGSe) (> 20%) [1][2][3]. Содержание в данных материалах ток-сического Cd, редких и дорогих металлов In и Ga существенно препятствует их широкому коммерческому использованию.…”

Section: Introductionunclassified

Электрические и оптические свойства пленок Cu-=SUB=-2-=/SUB=-Zn(Fe,Mn)SnS-=SUB=-4-=/SUB=-, изготовленных спрей-пиролизом

Orletskii¹,

Марьянчук²,

Солован³

et al. 2018

Журнал Технической Физики

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Research strategies toward improving thin-film CdTe photovoltaic devices beyond 20% conversion efficiency

Cited by 96 publications

References 35 publications

Structural and electronic properties of CdTe_1-xSe_x films and their application in solar cells

Structural and electronic properties of CdTe_1-xSe_x films and their application in solar cells

Recent Progress on Solution-Processed CdTe Nanocrystals Solar Cells

Электрические и оптические свойства пленок Cu-=SUB=-2-=/SUB=-Zn(Fe,Mn)SnS-=SUB=-4-=/SUB=-, изготовленных спрей-пиролизом

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Research strategies toward improving thin-film CdTe photovoltaic devices beyond 20% conversion efficiency

Cited by 96 publications

References 35 publications

Structural and electronic properties of CdTe1-xSex films and their application in solar cells

Structural and electronic properties of CdTe1-xSex films and their application in solar cells

Recent Progress on Solution-Processed CdTe Nanocrystals Solar Cells

Электрические и оптические свойства пленок Cu-=SUB=-2-=/SUB=-Zn(Fe,Mn)SnS-=SUB=-4-=/SUB=-, изготовленных спрей-пиролизом

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Structural and electronic properties of CdTe_1-xSe_x films and their application in solar cells

Structural and electronic properties of CdTe_1-xSe_x films and their application in solar cells