Comparison of Transparent Back Contacts for CdTe Top Cells in Tandem Thin-Film Photovoltaic Devices

Joel N. Duenow; Teresa M. Barnes; Ramesh G. Dhere; Jeremy D. Bergeson; Brian A. Larson; Jeffrey L. Blackburn; Anna Duda; Glenn Teeter; Timothy A. Gessert

doi:10.1109/PVSC.2009.5411282

Comparison of Transparent Back Contacts for CdTe Top Cells in Tandem Thin-Film Photovoltaic Devices

Joel N. Duenow, Teresa M. Barnes, Ramesh G. Dhere, Jeremy D. Bergeson, Brian A. Larson, Jeffrey L. Blackburn, Anna Duda, Glenn Teeter, Timothy A. Gessert

Materials Science

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › peer-review

5 Scopus Citations

Abstract

Two-junction tandem thin-film photovoltaic cells are composed of a wide-bandgap top cell overlying a narrower-bandgap bottom cell. CdTe, with a bandgap of 1.5 eV, can function effectively as a top cell when paired with a bottom cell of appropriate bandgap. Effective twojunction cells require a back contact to the top cell that is transparent to the sub-bandgap radiation absorbed by the bottom cell. In this study, we fabricate CdTe top cells with transparent back contacts. We form the ohmic contact to CdTe by using semi-transparent Cu-doped ZnTe as the back-contact interface layer. We compare Al-doped ZnO, indium tin oxide, and single-wall carbon nanotube networks for use as the final transparent conductor. These transparent cells demonstrate device efficiencies comparable to those of control devices using the standard Ti metallization.

Original language	American English
Pages	2443-2447
Number of pages	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2009.5411282 https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2009.5411282
State	Published - 2009
Event	2009 34th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, PVSC 2009 - Philadelphia, PA, United States Duration: 7 Jun 2009 → 12 Jun 2009

Conference

Conference	2009 34th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, PVSC 2009
Country/Territory	United States
City	Philadelphia, PA
Period	7/06/09 → 12/06/09

NREL Publication Number

NREL/CP-520-46059

Keywords

indium tin oxide
ohmic contacts
photonic band gap
photovoltaic cells
photovoltaic systems
solar power generation
thin film devices
transistors
zinc compounds
zinc oxide

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Duenow, J. N., Barnes, T. M., Dhere, R. G., Bergeson, J. D., Larson, B. A., Blackburn, J. L., Duda, A., Teeter, G., & Gessert, T. A. (2009). Comparison of Transparent Back Contacts for CdTe Top Cells in Tandem Thin-Film Photovoltaic Devices. 2443-2447. Paper presented at 2009 34th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, PVSC 2009, Philadelphia, PA, United States. https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2009.5411282, https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2009.5411282

@conference{1c329bf9007347a095c840a5f76323fa,

title = "Comparison of Transparent Back Contacts for CdTe Top Cells in Tandem Thin-Film Photovoltaic Devices",

abstract = "Two-junction tandem thin-film photovoltaic cells are composed of a wide-bandgap top cell overlying a narrower-bandgap bottom cell. CdTe, with a bandgap of 1.5 eV, can function effectively as a top cell when paired with a bottom cell of appropriate bandgap. Effective twojunction cells require a back contact to the top cell that is transparent to the sub-bandgap radiation absorbed by the bottom cell. In this study, we fabricate CdTe top cells with transparent back contacts. We form the ohmic contact to CdTe by using semi-transparent Cu-doped ZnTe as the back-contact interface layer. We compare Al-doped ZnO, indium tin oxide, and single-wall carbon nanotube networks for use as the final transparent conductor. These transparent cells demonstrate device efficiencies comparable to those of control devices using the standard Ti metallization.",

keywords = "indium tin oxide, ohmic contacts, photonic band gap, photovoltaic cells, photovoltaic systems, solar power generation, thin film devices, transistors, zinc compounds, zinc oxide",

author = "Duenow, {Joel N.} and Barnes, {Teresa M.} and Dhere, {Ramesh G.} and Bergeson, {Jeremy D.} and Larson, {Brian A.} and Blackburn, {Jeffrey L.} and Anna Duda and Glenn Teeter and Gessert, {Timothy A.}",

year = "2009",

doi = "10.1109/PVSC.2009.5411282",

language = "American English",

pages = "2443--2447",

note = "2009 34th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, PVSC 2009 ; Conference date: 07-06-2009 Through 12-06-2009",

}

Duenow, JN , Barnes, TM, Dhere, RG, Bergeson, JD, Larson, BA, Blackburn, JL, Duda, A, Teeter, G & Gessert, TA 2009, 'Comparison of Transparent Back Contacts for CdTe Top Cells in Tandem Thin-Film Photovoltaic Devices', Paper presented at 2009 34th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, PVSC 2009, Philadelphia, PA, United States, 7/06/09 - 12/06/09 pp. 2443-2447. https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2009.5411282, https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2009.5411282

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AU - Duenow, Joel N.

AU - Barnes, Teresa M.

AU - Dhere, Ramesh G.

AU - Bergeson, Jeremy D.

AU - Larson, Brian A.

AU - Blackburn, Jeffrey L.

AU - Duda, Anna

AU - Teeter, Glenn

AU - Gessert, Timothy A.

PY - 2009

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N2 - Two-junction tandem thin-film photovoltaic cells are composed of a wide-bandgap top cell overlying a narrower-bandgap bottom cell. CdTe, with a bandgap of 1.5 eV, can function effectively as a top cell when paired with a bottom cell of appropriate bandgap. Effective twojunction cells require a back contact to the top cell that is transparent to the sub-bandgap radiation absorbed by the bottom cell. In this study, we fabricate CdTe top cells with transparent back contacts. We form the ohmic contact to CdTe by using semi-transparent Cu-doped ZnTe as the back-contact interface layer. We compare Al-doped ZnO, indium tin oxide, and single-wall carbon nanotube networks for use as the final transparent conductor. These transparent cells demonstrate device efficiencies comparable to those of control devices using the standard Ti metallization.

AB - Two-junction tandem thin-film photovoltaic cells are composed of a wide-bandgap top cell overlying a narrower-bandgap bottom cell. CdTe, with a bandgap of 1.5 eV, can function effectively as a top cell when paired with a bottom cell of appropriate bandgap. Effective twojunction cells require a back contact to the top cell that is transparent to the sub-bandgap radiation absorbed by the bottom cell. In this study, we fabricate CdTe top cells with transparent back contacts. We form the ohmic contact to CdTe by using semi-transparent Cu-doped ZnTe as the back-contact interface layer. We compare Al-doped ZnO, indium tin oxide, and single-wall carbon nanotube networks for use as the final transparent conductor. These transparent cells demonstrate device efficiencies comparable to those of control devices using the standard Ti metallization.

KW - indium tin oxide

KW - ohmic contacts

KW - photonic band gap

KW - photovoltaic cells

KW - photovoltaic systems

KW - solar power generation

KW - thin film devices

KW - transistors

KW - zinc compounds

KW - zinc oxide

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T2 - 2009 34th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, PVSC 2009

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ER -

Comparison of Transparent Back Contacts for CdTe Top Cells in Tandem Thin-Film Photovoltaic Devices

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