Dark Current Transients in Thin-Film CdTe Solar Cells: Preprint

This conference paper describes the Dark current transients measured by changing the voltage bias in a stepwise fashion on CdTe cells results in minutes-long transients after each step. Transients measured at room temperature are controlled by carrier trapping that corresponds to the well known voltage transient phenomena [1]. Transients measured on the same CdTe cell at elevated temperature(60?C and 90?C) show a much slower decay process. We associate this physical process with 'shunt' current paths induced with reverse bias and removed with forward bias. A different back contact process may produce an opposite voltage dependence. The lack of these transients may be required for the fabrication of 'stable' thin-film CdTe solar cells.