High-Efficiency Polycrystalline CdTe Thin-Film Solar Cells with an Oxygenated Amorphous CdS (a-CdS:O) Window Layer

X. Wu; R. G. Dhere; Y. Yan; M. J. Romero; Y. Zhang; J. Zhou; C. DeHart; A. Duda; C. Perkins; B. To

High-Efficiency Polycrystalline CdTe Thin-Film Solar Cells with an Oxygenated Amorphous CdS (a-CdS:O) Window Layer

X. Wu, R. G. Dhere, Y. Yan, M. J. Romero, Y. Zhang, J. Zhou, C. DeHart, A. Duda, C. Perkins, B. To

Materials Science

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

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

56 Scopus Citations

Abstract

In the conventional CdS/CdTe device structure, the poly-CdS window layer has a bandgap of ∼2.4 eV, which causes absorption in the short-wavelength region. Higher short-circuit current densities (J_sc) can be achieved by reducing the CdS thickness, but this can adversely impact device open-circuit voltage (V_oc) and fill factor (FF). Also, poly-CdS film has about 10% lattice mismatch related to the CdTe film, which limits the improvement of device V_oc and FF. In this paper, we report a novel window material: oxygenated amorphous CdS film (a-CdS:O) prepared at room temperature by rf sputtering. The a-CdS:O film has a higher optical bandgap (2.5-3.1 eV) than the poly-CdS film and an amorphous structure. The preliminary device results have demonstrated that J_sc of the CdTe device can be greatly improved while maintaining higher V_oc and FF. We have fabricated a CdTe cell demonstrating an NREL-confirmed J_sc of 25.85 mA/cm² and a total-area efficiency of 15.4%.

Original language	American English
Pages	531-534
Number of pages	4
State	Published - 2002
Event	29th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference - New Orleans, LA, United States Duration: 19 May 2002 → 24 May 2002

Conference

Conference	29th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference
Country/Territory	United States
City	New Orleans, LA
Period	19/05/02 → 24/05/02

Bibliographical note

For preprint version including full text online document, see NREL/CP-520-31429

NREL Publication Number

NREL/CP-520-33716

Cite this

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title = "High-Efficiency Polycrystalline CdTe Thin-Film Solar Cells with an Oxygenated Amorphous CdS (a-CdS:O) Window Layer",

abstract = "In the conventional CdS/CdTe device structure, the poly-CdS window layer has a bandgap of ∼2.4 eV, which causes absorption in the short-wavelength region. Higher short-circuit current densities (Jsc) can be achieved by reducing the CdS thickness, but this can adversely impact device open-circuit voltage (Voc) and fill factor (FF). Also, poly-CdS film has about 10% lattice mismatch related to the CdTe film, which limits the improvement of device Voc and FF. In this paper, we report a novel window material: oxygenated amorphous CdS film (a-CdS:O) prepared at room temperature by rf sputtering. The a-CdS:O film has a higher optical bandgap (2.5-3.1 eV) than the poly-CdS film and an amorphous structure. The preliminary device results have demonstrated that Jsc of the CdTe device can be greatly improved while maintaining higher Voc and FF. We have fabricated a CdTe cell demonstrating an NREL-confirmed Jsc of 25.85 mA/cm2 and a total-area efficiency of 15.4%.",

author = "X. Wu and Dhere, {R. G.} and Y. Yan and Romero, {M. J.} and Y. Zhang and J. Zhou and C. DeHart and A. Duda and C. Perkins and B. To",

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AU - Wu, X.

AU - Dhere, R. G.

AU - Yan, Y.

AU - Romero, M. J.

AU - Zhang, Y.

AU - Zhou, J.

AU - DeHart, C.

AU - Duda, A.

AU - Perkins, C.

AU - To, B.

N1 - For preprint version including full text online document, see NREL/CP-520-31429

PY - 2002

Y1 - 2002

N2 - In the conventional CdS/CdTe device structure, the poly-CdS window layer has a bandgap of ∼2.4 eV, which causes absorption in the short-wavelength region. Higher short-circuit current densities (Jsc) can be achieved by reducing the CdS thickness, but this can adversely impact device open-circuit voltage (Voc) and fill factor (FF). Also, poly-CdS film has about 10% lattice mismatch related to the CdTe film, which limits the improvement of device Voc and FF. In this paper, we report a novel window material: oxygenated amorphous CdS film (a-CdS:O) prepared at room temperature by rf sputtering. The a-CdS:O film has a higher optical bandgap (2.5-3.1 eV) than the poly-CdS film and an amorphous structure. The preliminary device results have demonstrated that Jsc of the CdTe device can be greatly improved while maintaining higher Voc and FF. We have fabricated a CdTe cell demonstrating an NREL-confirmed Jsc of 25.85 mA/cm2 and a total-area efficiency of 15.4%.

AB - In the conventional CdS/CdTe device structure, the poly-CdS window layer has a bandgap of ∼2.4 eV, which causes absorption in the short-wavelength region. Higher short-circuit current densities (Jsc) can be achieved by reducing the CdS thickness, but this can adversely impact device open-circuit voltage (Voc) and fill factor (FF). Also, poly-CdS film has about 10% lattice mismatch related to the CdTe film, which limits the improvement of device Voc and FF. In this paper, we report a novel window material: oxygenated amorphous CdS film (a-CdS:O) prepared at room temperature by rf sputtering. The a-CdS:O film has a higher optical bandgap (2.5-3.1 eV) than the poly-CdS film and an amorphous structure. The preliminary device results have demonstrated that Jsc of the CdTe device can be greatly improved while maintaining higher Voc and FF. We have fabricated a CdTe cell demonstrating an NREL-confirmed Jsc of 25.85 mA/cm2 and a total-area efficiency of 15.4%.

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M3 - Paper

AN - SCOPUS:0036957753

SP - 531

EP - 534

T2 - 29th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference

Y2 - 19 May 2002 through 24 May 2002

ER -

High-Efficiency Polycrystalline CdTe Thin-Film Solar Cells with an Oxygenated Amorphous CdS (a-CdS:O) Window Layer

Abstract

Conference

Bibliographical note

NREL Publication Number

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