Unveiling the influence of ZnTe and Te layers as part of the back-contact on CdTe solar cells performance
Source abstract
Abstract
Recently, advances in the CdTe technology made CdTe a great candidate for commercial thin film solar cells because it is used in infrared windows for optoelectronic devices such as photovoltaic ones. Nowadays, solar cells with nanometric thicknesses are increasingly required due to an enhanced behavior effect. It is common to observe interdiffusion phenomena during several technological processes that are required for the fabrication of photovoltaic devices. It is very important to note that this interdiffusion could strongly affect the final efficiency of devices. In this work, the study of two materials as an interlayer between the CdTe thin film and metallic contact is presented. Te and ZnTe were deposited on the CdTe surface by using a close space sublimation technique. The electrical properties of the devices were evaluated after two and four years to observe the electrical behavior of Te and ZnTe layers implemented as part of the back-contact.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Chalcogenide Semiconductor Thin Films · Semiconductor materials and interfaces · Quantum Dots Synthesis And Properties
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
Instituto Politécnico Nacional—ESCOM, Formación Básica, U.P.A.L.M. 1 , San Pedro Zacatenco, CDMX 07738, Mexico
Depto. de Física, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional 2 , Zacatenco, CDMX 07360, Mexico
Instituto Politécnico Nacional—ESFM, Depto. de Física, U.P.A.L.M. 3 , San Pedro Zacatenco, CDMX 07738, Mexico
Funding
Instituto Politécnico Nacional · Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología · Comisión de Operación y Fomento de Actividades Académicas (COFAA) del Instituto Politécnico Nacional
References (24)
Show source-provided references
1. See https://www.nrel.gov/pv/assets/pdfs/cell-pv-eff-thinfilm.202001042.pdf for information about thin films solar cells record.
2. p-ZnTe for back contacts to CdTe thin film solar cells10.1557/proc-865-f8.3 ↗
3. Enhancement of CdS/CdTe solar cells by the interbuilding of a nanostructured Te rich layer10.1088/2053-1591/aa7d88 ↗
4. Numerical modeling of a CdS/CdTe photovoltaic cell based on ZnTe BSF layer with optimum thickness of absorber layer10.1080/23311916.2017.1318459 ↗
5. Structural and electrical properties of Zns/CdTe and ZnTe/CdTe heterostructures10.1016/j.matchemphys.2012.12.049 ↗
6. Improving CdS/CdTe thin film solar cell efficiency by optimizing the physical properties of CdS with the application of thermal and chemical treatments10.1016/j.tsf.2014.10.070 ↗
7. See http://www.schmidt.com.tw/cN/principal/EDAX/Edax%20brochure.pdf for information about measurement accuracy on EDS.
8. Is scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM/EDS) quantitative?10.1002/sca.21041 ↗
9. Air-annealed growth and characterization of Cd1−xZnxTe thin films grown from CdTe/ZnTe/CdTe multi-stacks10.1016/j.vacuum.2017.12.029 ↗
10. See https://srdata.nist.gov/xps/XPSDetailPage.aspx?AllDataNo=27062 for information about binding energy of Zn.
11. See https://srdata.nist.gov/xps/XPSDetailPage.aspx?AllDataNo=29328 for information about binding energy of Te.
12. See https://xpssimplified.com/elements/zinc.php for information about binding energy between Zn and Te.
13. XPS analysis of oxidation states of Te in CdTe oxide films grown by rf sputtering with an Ar-NH3 plasma
14. XPS investigation of CdTe surfaces: Effect of Ru modification10.1088/0268-1242/4/10/006 ↗
15. Detailed balance limit of efficiency of p-n junction solar cells10.1063/1.1736034 ↗
16. Detailed balance limit of the efficiency of tandem solar cells10.1088/0022-3727/13/5/018 ↗
17. Limitations and possibilities for improvement of photovoltaic solar energy converters. Part 1: Considerations for Earth’s surface operation10.1109/jrproc.1960.287647 ↗
18. Electrical conduction and the photovoltaic effect in semiconductors with position dependent band gaps10.1063/1.1728874 ↗
19. Solar cells active in complete darkness10.1088/1742-6596/286/1/012041 ↗
20. Next generation solar cells based on graded bandgap device structures utilising rod-type nano-materials10.3390/en8065440 ↗
21. The influence of ZnS crystallinity on all-electroplated ZnS/CdS/CdTe graded bandgap device properties10.1007/s10854-018-9491-4 ↗
22. High short-circuit density CdTe solar cells using all-electrodeposited semiconductors10.1016/j.tsf.2014.01.071 ↗
23. Graded-bandgap solar cells using all electrodeposited ZnS, CdS, and CdTe thin films10.3390/en8054416 ↗
24. Interface phenomena between CdTe and ZnTe:Cu back contact10.1016/j.solener.2018.10.035 ↗