Microstructure of CdTe Thin Films after Mixed Nitric and Phosphoric Acids Etching and (HgTe, CuTe)-Graphite Pasting

Yanfa Yan; K. M. Jones; X. Wu; M. M. Al-Jassim

doi:10.1016/j.tsf.2004.07.002

Microstructure of CdTe Thin Films after Mixed Nitric and Phosphoric Acids Etching and (HgTe, CuTe)-Graphite Pasting

Yanfa Yan, K. M. Jones, X. Wu, M. M. Al-Jassim

Materials Science

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

15 Scopus Citations

Abstract

We report on our investigation of the microstructure and composition of the surface of CdTe films after mixed nitric and phosphoric (NP) acids etching, (HgTe, CuTe)-graphite pasting, and thermal annealing. We find that after this process, a thin layer of Cd_xHg_1-xTe forms between the CdTe and Te-rich layers, giving a structure of CdTe/Cd_xHg _1-xTe/Te. High-resolution electron microscopy reveals that the Cd_xHg_1-xTe layer has an epitaxial relationship with the CdTe. Bromine/methanol-etched samples or samples with intentionally deposited Te layers do not form the Cd_xHg_1-xTe layer after (HgTe, CuTe)-graphite pasting and thermal annealing, indicating that they cannot act as fully as the NP etching.

Original language	American English
Pages (from-to)	291-296
Number of pages	6
Journal	Thin Solid Films
Volume	472
Issue number	1-2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsf.2004.07.002 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsf.2004.07.002
State	Published - 2005

NREL Publication Number

NREL/JA-520-36528

Keywords

CdTe
Interface structure
Solar cells
Transmisson electron microscopy

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title = "Microstructure of CdTe Thin Films after Mixed Nitric and Phosphoric Acids Etching and (HgTe, CuTe)-Graphite Pasting",

abstract = "We report on our investigation of the microstructure and composition of the surface of CdTe films after mixed nitric and phosphoric (NP) acids etching, (HgTe, CuTe)-graphite pasting, and thermal annealing. We find that after this process, a thin layer of CdxHg1-xTe forms between the CdTe and Te-rich layers, giving a structure of CdTe/CdxHg 1-xTe/Te. High-resolution electron microscopy reveals that the CdxHg1-xTe layer has an epitaxial relationship with the CdTe. Bromine/methanol-etched samples or samples with intentionally deposited Te layers do not form the CdxHg1-xTe layer after (HgTe, CuTe)-graphite pasting and thermal annealing, indicating that they cannot act as fully as the NP etching.",

keywords = "CdTe, Interface structure, Solar cells, Transmisson electron microscopy",

author = "Yanfa Yan and Jones, {K. M.} and X. Wu and Al-Jassim, {M. M.}",

year = "2005",

doi = "10.1016/j.tsf.2004.07.002",

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journal = "Thin Solid Films",

issn = "0040-6090",

publisher = "Elsevier B.V.",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Microstructure of CdTe Thin Films after Mixed Nitric and Phosphoric Acids Etching and (HgTe, CuTe)-Graphite Pasting

AU - Yan, Yanfa

AU - Jones, K. M.

AU - Wu, X.

AU - Al-Jassim, M. M.

PY - 2005

Y1 - 2005

N2 - We report on our investigation of the microstructure and composition of the surface of CdTe films after mixed nitric and phosphoric (NP) acids etching, (HgTe, CuTe)-graphite pasting, and thermal annealing. We find that after this process, a thin layer of CdxHg1-xTe forms between the CdTe and Te-rich layers, giving a structure of CdTe/CdxHg 1-xTe/Te. High-resolution electron microscopy reveals that the CdxHg1-xTe layer has an epitaxial relationship with the CdTe. Bromine/methanol-etched samples or samples with intentionally deposited Te layers do not form the CdxHg1-xTe layer after (HgTe, CuTe)-graphite pasting and thermal annealing, indicating that they cannot act as fully as the NP etching.

AB - We report on our investigation of the microstructure and composition of the surface of CdTe films after mixed nitric and phosphoric (NP) acids etching, (HgTe, CuTe)-graphite pasting, and thermal annealing. We find that after this process, a thin layer of CdxHg1-xTe forms between the CdTe and Te-rich layers, giving a structure of CdTe/CdxHg 1-xTe/Te. High-resolution electron microscopy reveals that the CdxHg1-xTe layer has an epitaxial relationship with the CdTe. Bromine/methanol-etched samples or samples with intentionally deposited Te layers do not form the CdxHg1-xTe layer after (HgTe, CuTe)-graphite pasting and thermal annealing, indicating that they cannot act as fully as the NP etching.

KW - CdTe

KW - Interface structure

KW - Solar cells

KW - Transmisson electron microscopy

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DO - 10.1016/j.tsf.2004.07.002

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:9944255702

SN - 0040-6090

VL - 472

SP - 291

EP - 296

JO - Thin Solid Films

JF - Thin Solid Films

IS - 1-2

ER -

Microstructure of CdTe Thin Films after Mixed Nitric and Phosphoric Acids Etching and (HgTe, CuTe)-Graphite Pasting

Abstract

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Keywords

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