Novel Approach for Correlating Capacitance Data with Performance During Thin-Film Device Stress Studies: Preprint

A new data mining algorithm was developed to identify the strongest correlations between capacitance data (measured between -1.5 V and +0.49 V) and 1st and 2nd level performance metrics (efficiency, open-circuit voltage (VOC), short-circuit current density (JSC), and fill-factor (FF)) during the stress testing of voltage-stabilized CdS/CdTe devices. When considering only correlations between 1stand 2nd level metrics, 96.5% of the observed variation in efficiency was attributed to FF. The overall decrease in VOC after 1000 hours of open-circuit, light-soak stress at 60 degrees C was about 1.5%. As determined by our algorithm, the most consistent correlation existing between FF and 3rd level metric capacitance data at all stages during stress testing was between FF and the apparent CdTeacceptor density (Na) calculated at a voltage of +0.49 V during forward voltage scans. Since the contribution of back contact capacitance to total capacitance increases with increasing positive voltage, this result suggests that FF degradation is associated with decreases in Na near the CdTe/back contact interface. Also of interest, it appears that capacitance data at these higher voltagesappears to more accurately fit the one-sided abrupt junction model.