High Efficiency Ultra Thin Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) Solar Cells

By Nowshad Amin

Thin film cadmium telluride absorbers with cadmium sulphide hetero-junction partner are promising candidates for high efficiency low cost solutions of solar energy harvesting devices. These devices have band gaps well-suited for effective absorption of sunlight. Most importantly, the materials used in these devices can be deposited in a variety of industry-friendly ways, so that the cost associated with manufacturing is generally lower than other available technologies. Although poly-crystalline CdS has been found to be the best suited heterojunction partner for CdTe solar cell, the conventional polycrystalline CdS/CdTe cell has few issues that limit device performance. In order to overcome these problems, this study proposes the introduction of poly-CdS to amorphous oxygenated CdS (a-CdS: O) as window layer. The a-CdS: O window material has higher optical band gap (2.5-3.1 eV), better lattice match with CdTe absorber materials and reduced inter-diffusion tendency of CdS and CdTe layers. This book systematically demonstrates the conversion process of poly CdS to a-CdS: O and develops a strategy for the fabrication of suitable a-CdS: O layer to be applied in CdTe solar cells.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 3659369438
• ISBN13: 9783659369438
• Release Date: April 2013
• Publisher: LAP Lambert Academic Publishing
• Length: 148 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 6.0" x 9.0"