Defect Passivation and Activation of Thin Film CdSeTe/CdTe Solar Cells

Defect Passivation and Activation of Thin Film CdSeTe/CdTe Solar Cells PDF Author: Rachael Greenhalgh
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Defect Passivation and Activation of Thin Film CdSeTe/CdTe Solar Cells

Defect Passivation and Activation of Thin Film CdSeTe/CdTe Solar Cells PDF Author: Rachael Greenhalgh
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Solar Cells and Modules

Solar Cells and Modules PDF Author: Arvind Shah
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 3030464873
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 357

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Book Description
This book gives a comprehensive introduction to the field of photovoltaic (PV) solar cells and modules. In thirteen chapters, it addresses a wide range of topics including the spectrum of light received by PV devices, the basic functioning of a solar cell, and the physical factors limiting the efficiency of solar cells. It places particular emphasis on crystalline silicon solar cells and modules, which constitute today more than 90 % of all modules sold worldwide. Describing in great detail both the manufacturing process and resulting module performance, the book also touches on the newest developments in this sector, such as Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact (TOPCON) and heterojunction modules, while dedicating a major chapter to general questions of module design and fabrication. Overall, it presents the essential theoretical and practical concepts of PV solar cells and modules in an easy-to-understand manner and discusses current challenges facing the global research and development community.

Study of Deep Level Defects of N+-CdS/P-CdTe Solar Cells

Study of Deep Level Defects of N+-CdS/P-CdTe Solar Cells PDF Author: Poonam Rani Kharangarh
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 134

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Among various photovoltaic materials, polycrystalline cadmium telluride thin film is now the most promising material, due to its low production cost excellent stability and reliability. Current-voltage and capacitance-voltage measurements of CdTe photovoltaic devices at different temperatures can provide valuable information about non-idealities in the n-p semiconductor junction. There are certain limitations which limit the efficiency of CdTe solar cells. There is no real distinction between defects and impurities in CdTe solar cells as both act as beneficial dopants or detrimental traps unlike Si where intentional shallow dopants and traps are distinctly different. Therefore, the role of defect states on CdTe solar cell performance, the effect of processing on defect states, and simple and effective characterization techniques must be investigated and identified. In this research the thin film n+-CdS/p-CdTe solar cells made with evaporated Cu as a primary back contact, are characterized by using the temperature dependence of the reverse bias diode current (J-V-T) to determine the energy levels of deep defects. The results of the J-V-T measurements on solar cells made at NJIT show that while modest amounts of Cu enhance cell performance, an excessive high temperature annealing step degrades device quality and reduces efficiency. This work addresses the error that can be introduced during defect energy level estimation if the temperature dependence of the carrier capture cross-section is neglected. Therefore, the location of traps is derived using a Shockley-Read-Hall recombination model with modified assumptions. A Cu-related deep level defect with activation energy of 0.57eV is observed for Cu evaporated back contact cells and an intrinsic defect with activation energy 0.89eV is found. Frequency dispersion in Capacitance-Voltage measurements confirms the presence of Cu-related deep level traps for cells with a Cu evaporated back contact, whereas no such defects are observed in carbon paste contact. The behavior is believed to be due to diffusion of excess Cu from the contact. It is further observed that majority carrier deep level traps (Cu-related or intrinsic) contribute differently to the degradation of electronic properties of the CdTe solar cells. A simple and effective characterization technique based on temperature dependent capacitance spectroscopy (TDCS) is used to identify majority carrier trapping defects in thin film n+-CdS/p-CdTe solar cell, made with evaporated Cu as a primary back contact. The distinct deep level traps, observed by TDCS seem to be due to the ionization of impurity centers located in the depletion region of n+-CdS/p-CdTe junction.

Studies of Sputtered CdTe and CdSe Solar Cells

Studies of Sputtered CdTe and CdSe Solar Cells PDF Author: Dohyoung Kwon
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Cadmium sulfide
Languages : en
Pages : 161

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Book Description
CdTe has recently become the most commercially successful polycrystalline thin film solar module material. Its low cost, large-area solar module is reshaping the silicondominated solar panel market; however, CdTe has much room to improve and thus more fundamental understanding is needed. Current thin film solar cell research is focused on two areas: One is identifying loss mechanisms and understanding the polycrystalline nature of single junction device to improve device performance. Another is searching for new materials and fabricating tandem solar cells. In this study, along with other people's work to improve the efficiency of CdTe solar module, I studied loss mechanism and growth mode of CdTe solar cells to have fundamental understanding of polycrystalline films. In addition to that, in an effort to make tandem solar cells, I fabricated and characterized CdSe solar cells, which is considered as an ideal candidate for the top cell with its band gap of 1.7 eV. This dissertation is designed to show similarities and differences between CdTe and CdSe solar cells, side by side. After the introduction (Chapter1), I will review the physical properties of CdTe and CdSe solar cells (Chapter 2). Two primary tools to study defects and surface morphology were photoluminescence (PL) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). PL showed information on the crystallinity and defects of CdTe and CdSe films before and after annealing.(Chapter 3). AFM measurements and their analysis using scaling theory revealed information on the growth modes of CdTe and CdSe films.(Chapter 4). With the goal of exploring suitability for tandem structures with ~1.7 eV top cell and ~1.1 eV bottom cell, I fabricated and characterized single-junction CdSe devices. (Chapter 5) In addition, for the bottom cell I fabricated HgCdTe cells with Eg~1.1 eV. Single junction HgCdTe and two-terminal CdTe/HgCdTe tandem solar cells were fabricated and characterized. (Chapter 5).

Fundamentals Of Solar Cells

Fundamentals Of Solar Cells PDF Author: Alan Fahrenbruch
Publisher: Elsevier
ISBN: 0323145388
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 580

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Book Description
Fundamentals of Solar Cells: Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conversion provides an introduction to the fundamental physical principles of solar cells. It aims to promote the expansion of solar photovoltaics from relatively small and specialized use to a large-scale contribution to energy supply. The book begins with a review of basic concepts such as the source of energy, the role of photovoltaic conversion, the development of photovoltaic cells, and sequence of phenomena involved in solar power generation. This is followed by separate chapters on each of the processes that take place in solar cell. These include solar input; properties of semiconductors; recombination and the flow of photogenerated carriers; charge separation and the characteristics of junction barriers; and calculation of solar efficiency. Subsequent chapters deal with the operation of specific solar cell devices such as a single-crystal homojunction (Si); a single-crystal-heterojunction/buried-homojunction (AlGaAs/GaAs); and a polycrystalline, thin-film cell (CuxS/CdS). This book is intended for upper-level graduate students who have a reasonably good understanding of solid state physics and for scientists and engineers involved in research and development of solar cells.

Thin Film Solar Cells

Thin Film Solar Cells PDF Author: Jef Poortmans
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 0470091266
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 504

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Book Description
Thin-film solar cells are either emerging or about to emerge from the research laboratory to become commercially available devices finding practical various applications. Currently no textbook outlining the basic theoretical background, methods of fabrication and applications currently exist. Thus, this book aims to present for the first time an in-depth overview of this topic covering a broad range of thin-film solar cell technologies including both organic and inorganic materials, presented in a systematic fashion, by the scientific leaders in the respective domains. It covers a broad range of related topics, from physical principles to design, fabrication, characterization, and applications of novel photovoltaic devices.

Advanced Processing of CdTe- and CuIn[subscript 1-x]Ga[subscript x]Se2-Based Solar Cells: Final Technical Report, 26 May 1998-22 December 2001

Advanced Processing of CdTe- and CuIn[subscript 1-x]Ga[subscript x]Se2-Based Solar Cells: Final Technical Report, 26 May 1998-22 December 2001 PDF Author: Don Louis Morel
Publisher: DIANE Publishing
ISBN: 1428917292
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 51

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4D Electron Microscopy

4D Electron Microscopy PDF Author: Ahmed H. Zewail
Publisher: World Scientific
ISBN: 1848163908
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 359

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Book Description
Structural phase transitions, mechanical deformations, and the embryonic stages of melting and crystallization are examples of phenomena that can now be imaged in unprecedented structural detail with high spatial resolution, and ten orders of magnitude as fast as hitherto. No monograph in existence attempts to cover the revolutionary dimensions that EM in its various modes of operation nowadays makes possible. The authors of this book chart these developments, and also compare the merits of coherent electron waves with those of synchrotron radiation. They judge it prudent to recall some important basic procedural and theoretical aspects of imaging and diffraction so that the reader may better comprehend the significance of the new vistas and applications now afoot. This book is not a vade mecum - numerous other texts are available for the practitioner for that purpose.

Shunt Passivation Process for CdTe Solar Cell

Shunt Passivation Process for CdTe Solar Cell PDF Author: Misle M. Tessema
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Solar cells
Languages : en
Pages : 220

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Book Description
A cadmium sulfide / cadmium telluride (CdS/CdTe) solar cell consists of the device stack: Glass substrate / SnO2:F (TCO, transparent conductive oxide) / CdS (n-type semiconductor) / CdTe (p-type semiconductor) / Cu/Au (metal/back contact). During the fabrication process of the CdS and CdTe thin films pinholes are usually formed within these layers (random defects, which are entropy driven). After the semiconductor deposition, and subsequent heat treatments, the solar cell is completed with the deposition of a metal electrode onto the CdTe surface. The presence of a pinhole through the semiconductor layers leads to the formation of a wire like connection through the photovoltaic device (shunt, metal connection of the TCO and metal electrodes), which adversely affects the overall performance of the solar cell. Our proposed solution is to fill these pinholes with a resistive material such as polyaniline, using an electrochemical deposition (electrochemical polymerization) technique. The electrochemical deposition technique is performed by applying a voltage across a conductive substrate (TCO coated glass) and an inert electrode (Pt), both placed inside an electrolyte rich solution containing aniline. The aniline monomer then reacts at the positively charged conductive substrate to form a polymer (polyaniline). After the polyaniline film deposition, this new layer acts as an insulating layer, preventing the back contact (Cu/Au) from electrically contacting the TCO layer, thus avoiding shunting of the solar cell. Characterization techniques employed in this study are: depth profilemeter, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, electron spray ionization - mass spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy and grazing angle incidence x-ray diffraction. Subsequently, this technique is applied to CdTe solar cells that have pinholes and on an artificially scribed pinhole. After the electro deposition of polyaniline the CdTe solar cell is completed by metalizing using a Cu-Au back contact, and characterized by JV-measurements, under AM1.5 (terrestrial spectrum). Thus, we were able to obtain promising results that indicate both the deposition of the polymer on the device and hindrance of shunting of the CdTe solar cell.

Perovskite Photovoltaics

Perovskite Photovoltaics PDF Author: Aparna Thankappan
Publisher: Academic Press
ISBN: 0128129166
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 521

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Book Description
Perovskite Photovoltaics: Basic to Advanced Concepts and Implementation examines the emergence of perovskite photovoltaics, associated challenges and opportunities, and how to achieve broader development. Consolidating developments in perovskite photovoltaics, including recent progress solar cells, this text also highlights advances and the research necessary for sustaining energy. Addressing different photovoltaics fields with tailored content for what makes perovskite solar cells suitable, and including commercialization examples of large-scale perovskite solar technology. The book also contains a detailed analysis of the implementation and economic viability of perovskite solar cells, highlighting what photovoltaic devices need to be generated by low cost, non-toxic, earth abundant materials using environmentally scalable processes. This book is a valuable resource engineers, scientists and researchers, and all those who wish to broaden their knowledge on flexible perovskite solar cells. - Includes contributions by leading solar cell academics, industrialists, researchers and institutions across the globe - Addresses different photovoltaics fields with tailored content for what makes perovskite solar cells different - Provides commercialization examples of large-scale perovskite solar technology, giving users detailed analysis on the implementation, technical challenges and economic viability of perovskite solar cells