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Improved CdTe Solar-Cell Performance with An Evaporated Te Layer before The Back Contact

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 June 2017

Andrew Moore ,
Tao Song  and
James Sites
Andrew Moore*
Affiliation:
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
Tao Song
Affiliation:
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
James Sites
Affiliation:
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
*
*(Email: Andrew.Moore@colostate.edu)
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Abstract

CdTe solar cells with a Te-buffer layer adjacent to the back contact were fabricated. The effects of the Te layer on cell performance were evaluated in detail. The carrier density of the Te layer (1018 cm-3) was measured. The valence band offset of the CdTe/Te interface (∼0.3-0.5 eV) was determined from current-voltage-temperature measurements and published reports. These values were incorporated into a simulation model and compared to the measured experimental performance with good agreement. Most notably, it was found that the Te layer allowed improved cell performance with less Cu required to form the back contact.

Keywords

photovoltaicTeCu

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Type
Articles
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MRS Advances , Volume 2 , Issue 53: Energy Storage and Conversion , 2017 , pp. 3195 - 3201
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2017 

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