Solution-Grown CdS Layers for Polycrystalline-Thin-Film Solar Cells

Secondary Author(s)

Waterhouse, D.L; Sundaram, K.B.; Melendez, O.; Parikh, Nalin; Patnaik, B. K.

Keywords

CdS layers; Polycrystalline-thin-film solar cells; Solution growth; Heterojunction; Cadmium acetate; Optical properties; Morphological properties; Deposition conditions

Abstract

Solution growth of CdS layers was investigated for use as heterojunction partner in CuInSe2 and CdTe polycrystalline-thin-film solar cells. Morphological and optical properties improved significantly when buffer solution was used. Cadmium acetate was found to be preferable as a cadmium ion source as compared to cadmium chloride. Optimum conditions for slow ion-by-ion growth on SnO2:F coated glass substrates of conformal CdS 500-2600 ' thick layers with direct bandgap of ~2.40 eV were cadmium salt concentration Q in the range 0.001-0.003 M, thiourea concentration 5'Q, buffer solution concentration 20'Q, pH in the range of 9.0-9.5, deposition temperature of 80-85°C and deposition time of 13-30 min. Heterogeneous growth on the substrate was found to depend critically on the availability of nucleation sites

Date Published

5-10-1993

Identifiers

833

Subjects

Solar cells; Thin films; Cadmium compounds; Chemical vapor deposition; Semiconductors

Type

Text; Document

Collection

FSEC Energy Research Center® Collection

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