TY - JOUR
T1 - CdTe-Based Thin Film Photovoltaics: Recent Advances, Current Challenges and Future Prospects
T2 - Article No. 112289
AU - Scarpulla, Michael
AU - McCandless, Brian
AU - Phillips, Adam
AU - Yan, Yanfa
AU - Heben, Michael
AU - Wolden, Colin
AU - Xiong, Gang
AU - Metzger, Wyatt
AU - Mao, Dan
AU - Krasikov, Dmitry
AU - Sankin, Igor
AU - Grover, Sachit
AU - Munshi, Amit
AU - Sampath, Walajabad
AU - Sites, James
AU - Bothwell, Alexandra
AU - Albin, David
AU - Reese, Matthew
AU - Romeo, Alessandro
AU - Nardone, Marco
AU - Klie, Robert
AU - Walls, J.
AU - Fiducia, Thomas
AU - Abbas, Ali
AU - Hayes, Sarah
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - Cadmium telluride (CdTe)-based cells have emerged as the leading commercialized thin film photovoltaic technology and has intrinsically better temperature coefficients, energy yield, and degradation rates than Si technologies. More than 30 GW peak (GWp) of CdTe-based modules are installed worldwide, multiple companies are in production, modules are shipping at up to 18.6% efficiency, and lab cell efficiency is above 22%. We review developments in the science and technology that have occurred over approximately the past decade. These achievements were enabled by manufacturing innovations and scaling module production, as well as maximizing photocurrent through window layer optimization and alloyed CdSexTe1-x (CST) absorbers. Improved chlorine passivation processes, film microstructure, and serendipitous Se defect passivation significantly increased minority carrier lifetime. Efficiencies >22% have been realized for both Cu and As doped CST-based cells. The path to further efficiency gains hinges primarily on increasing open circuit voltage (Voc) and fill factor (FF) through innovations in materials, fabrication methods, and device stacks. Replacing the longstanding Cu doping with As doping is resulting in better module stability and is being translated to large-scale production. To realize 25% efficiency and >1 V Voc, research and development is needed to increase the minority carrier lifetime beyond 100 ns, reduce grain boundary and interface recombination, and tailor band diagrams at the front and back interfaces. Many of these goals have been realized separately however combining them together using scalable manufacturing approaches has been elusive to date. We review these achievements and outstanding opportunities for this remarkable photovoltaic technology.
AB - Cadmium telluride (CdTe)-based cells have emerged as the leading commercialized thin film photovoltaic technology and has intrinsically better temperature coefficients, energy yield, and degradation rates than Si technologies. More than 30 GW peak (GWp) of CdTe-based modules are installed worldwide, multiple companies are in production, modules are shipping at up to 18.6% efficiency, and lab cell efficiency is above 22%. We review developments in the science and technology that have occurred over approximately the past decade. These achievements were enabled by manufacturing innovations and scaling module production, as well as maximizing photocurrent through window layer optimization and alloyed CdSexTe1-x (CST) absorbers. Improved chlorine passivation processes, film microstructure, and serendipitous Se defect passivation significantly increased minority carrier lifetime. Efficiencies >22% have been realized for both Cu and As doped CST-based cells. The path to further efficiency gains hinges primarily on increasing open circuit voltage (Voc) and fill factor (FF) through innovations in materials, fabrication methods, and device stacks. Replacing the longstanding Cu doping with As doping is resulting in better module stability and is being translated to large-scale production. To realize 25% efficiency and >1 V Voc, research and development is needed to increase the minority carrier lifetime beyond 100 ns, reduce grain boundary and interface recombination, and tailor band diagrams at the front and back interfaces. Many of these goals have been realized separately however combining them together using scalable manufacturing approaches has been elusive to date. We review these achievements and outstanding opportunities for this remarkable photovoltaic technology.
KW - cadmium telluride
KW - CdTe photovoltaics
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85151444985&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.solmat.2023.112289
DO - 10.1016/j.solmat.2023.112289
M3 - Article
SN - 0927-0248
VL - 255
JO - Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells
JF - Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells
ER -