Development of Materials and Structures for P-type Contacts in CdTe Solar Cells

Development of Materials and Structures for P-type Contacts in CdTe Solar Cells PDF Author: Dino Ferizovic
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
The contact performance of Cu2Te thin films was comparable to that of CdTe/ZnTe superlattices and both demonstrated an advantage over contacts based on ZnTe:N thin films which were used a standard.

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.

Development of Back Contacts for CdTe Thin Films Solar Cells

Development of Back Contacts for CdTe Thin Films Solar Cells PDF Author: Fadhil Khalaf Dahash Alfadhili
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Photovoltaic cells
Languages : en
Pages : 100

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Book Description
Thin film solar cells based on polycrystalline p-type cadmium telluride (CdTe) represent one of these the most promising photovoltaic (PV) device due to high efficiency and low-cost production. Currently, CdTe solar cells provide the lowest cost electricity generation in utility-scale applications, which is a cost-competitive with the traditional power source, fossil fuel. CdTe thin film PV has attained 22.1 % of power conversion efficiency for small area scale and 18.6 % for modules scale. However, the high efficiency of CdTe devices has been achieved by increasing the photo-generated current by changing the traditional window layer (CdS) of CdTe to a wider bandgap material with better band alignment. The open-circuit voltage (VOC) remains below the theoretical limit due to a barrier at the back of the device due to the deep valence band edge of CdTe (-5.9 eV). Voc can be increased by adding a buffer layer between CdTe and the back electrode to decrease band banding and reducing carrier recombination at the back interface. In this thesis, several materials were investigated as a back-buffer layer, such as single-wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT), zinc telluride (ZnTe), tellurium (Te), and cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) to minimize the bend bending at CdTe/back-buffer layer interface. An alternative method to reduce the carrier recombination at the rear surface, the use of aluminum oxide (Al2O3) layer as a passivation layer was also demonstrated. Finally, an effective method of CdCl2 treatment for CZT thin film was investigated. This method shows that zinc (Zn) can be maintained during the heat treatment.

CdTe and Related Compounds; Physics, Defects, Hetero- and Nano-structures, Crystal Growth, Surfaces and Applications

CdTe and Related Compounds; Physics, Defects, Hetero- and Nano-structures, Crystal Growth, Surfaces and Applications PDF Author:
Publisher: Elsevier
ISBN: 0080965148
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 292

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Book Description
Almost thirty years after the remarkable monograph of K. Zanio and the numerous conferences and articles dedicated since that time to CdTe and CdZnTe, after all the significant progresses in that field and the increasing interest in these materials for several extremely attractive industrial applications, such as nuclear detectors and solar cells, the edition of a new enriched and updated monograph dedicated to these two very topical II-VI semiconductor compounds, covering all their most prominent, modern and fundamental aspects, seemed very relevant and useful. - Detailed coverage of the main topics associated with the very topical II-VI semiconductor compound CdTe and its alloy CZT - Review of the CdTe recent developments - Fundamental background of many topics clearly introduced and exposed

Advances in Composite Materials for Medicine and Nanotechnology

Advances in Composite Materials for Medicine and Nanotechnology PDF Author: Brahim Attaf
Publisher: BoD – Books on Demand
ISBN: 9533072350
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 664

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Book Description
Due to their good mechanical characteristics in terms of stiffness and strength coupled with mass-saving advantage and other attractive physico-chemical properties, composite materials are successfully used in medicine and nanotechnology fields. To this end, the chapters composing the book have been divided into the following sections: medicine, dental and pharmaceutical applications; nanocomposites for energy efficiency; characterization and fabrication, all of which provide an invaluable overview of this fascinating subject area. The book presents, in addition, some studies carried out in orthopedic and stomatological applications and others aiming to design and produce new devices using the latest advances in nanotechnology. This wide variety of theoretical, numerical and experimental results can help specialists involved in these disciplines to enhance competitiveness and innovation.

Applications of Multichannel Spectroscopic Ellipsometry for CdTe Photovoltaics

Applications of Multichannel Spectroscopic Ellipsometry for CdTe Photovoltaics PDF Author: Xinxuan Tan
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Ellipsometry
Languages : en
Pages : 286

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Book Description
Spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) is a powerful tool for non-destructive evaluation of thin films consisting of single layers or multilayers on substrates. For such thin films, SE can provide structural parameters and component material optical properties over a wide spectral range. Further analyses of these optical properties can provide additional information of interest on the physical and chemical properties of the materials. Installation of the SE instrument on a deposition chamber enables monitoring of the thin film during deposition. This experiment, referred to as in-situ real time SE (RTSE), enables high surface sensitivity, fast data acquisition, and non-invasive probing which lead to unique insights into the dynamics of film growth. In this dissertation research, RTSE was applied for analysis of the structural evolution of oxygenated CdS (CdS:O) films deposited on c-Si substrates using different [O2 ]/{[Ar] + [O2]} gas flow ratios. The analysis of RTSE data provides valuable information including the initial film growth mode (e.g. layer-by-layer or clustering), subsequent bulk layer and surface roughness thickness evolution, the growth rate in terms of effective thickness (or volume/area), and the final film optical properties. As an additional application of SE, ex situ through-the-glass mapping SE (TG-M-SE) has been used to study the structural properties and area uniformity of CdS/CdTe solar cells over large areas. The mapping results can be correlated with the efficiency of solar cells fabricated over the same area, exploiting inevitable non-uniformities in the process to identify the optimum structural parameters for highest efficiency solar cells. In a second component of this research, RTSE has proven to be very powerful for the development and optimization of thin film FeS2 deposited by a novel hybrid sputtering/co-evaporation method. This effort started with the sputtering of elemental Fe metal thin films and proceeded to the evaporation of sulfur simultaneously with Fe deposition using different overall rates and substrate temperatures. The effects of these deposition parameters on the resulting iron sulfide film properties were explored. The nucleation, growth evolution, and optical properties of thin film FeS2 deposited by this hybrid method are key outcomes of this study that relies on in-situ RTSE. Other characterization techniques including X-ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy SEM, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were used in the dissertation research to determine the crystal structure, surface microstructure, and the S:Fe atomic ratio of the iron sulfide films to complement the RTSE analysis. In the final component of this dissertation research, CdTe/CdS solar cells in the substrate configuration were fabricated and studied. Development of CdTe/CdS solar cells in this non-standard configuration provides an alternative approach for exploring CdTe back contacts that may require high-temperature vacuum processing. The experimental research on this subject started with a study of the effect of CdS bath temperature on the CdS/CdTe solar cell performance in the superstrate configuration in an attempt to advance the process for use in the substrate configuration. Materials including MoO3, copper indium selenide (CIS), and nitrogen doped CIS (CIS:N) were studied as p-type back contact interlayers between Mo and CdTe in the CdTe/CdS substrate configuration solar cells. The performance of the solar cells incorporating these p-type back contacts are compared and discussed in the dissertation.

Coatings and Thin-Film Technologies

Coatings and Thin-Film Technologies PDF Author: Jaime Andres Perez Taborda
Publisher: BoD – Books on Demand
ISBN: 1789848709
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 288

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Book Description
The field of coatings and thin-film technologies is rapidly advancing to keep up with new uses for semiconductor, optical, tribological, thermoelectric, solar, security, and smart sensing applications, among others. In this sense, thin-film coatings and structures are increasingly sophisticated with more specific properties, new geometries, large areas, the use of heterogeneous materials and flexible and rigid coating substrates to produce thin-film structures with improved performance and properties in response to new challenges that the industry presents. This book aims to provide the reader with a complete overview of the current state of applications and developments in thin-film technology, discussing applications, health and safety in thin films, and presenting reviews and experimental results of recognized experts in the area of coatings and thin-film technologies.

Solar Cell Technology and Applications

Solar Cell Technology and Applications PDF Author: A. R. Jha
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 9781420081787
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 304

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Book Description
Energy experts predict that wholesale electricity prices could easily rise 35 to 65 percent by 2015. Add to this the growing need for energy independence and the need to reduce carbon emissions and it is very clear that the development of low-cost renewable energy, such as solar energy, is essential for our economy and our national security. With t

Energy Conversion

Energy Conversion PDF Author: D. Yogi Goswami
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 1466584831
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 1193

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Book Description
This handbook surveys the range of methods and fuel types used in generating energy for industry, transportation, and heating and cooling of buildings. Solar, wind, biomass, nuclear, geothermal, ocean and fossil fuels are discussed and compared, and the thermodynamics of energy conversion is explained. Appendices are provided with fully updated data. Thoroughly revised, this second edition surveys the latest advances in energy conversion from a wide variety of currently available energy sources. It describes energy sources such as fossil fuels, biomass (including refuse-derived biomass fuels), nuclear, solar radiation, wind, geothermal, and ocean, then provides the terminology and units used for each energy resource and their equivalence. It includes an overview of the steam power cycles, gas turbines, internal combustion engines, hydraulic turbines, Stirling engines, advanced fossil fuel power systems, and combined-cycle power plants. It outlines the development, current use, and future of nuclear power.

Sixteenth European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference

Sixteenth European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference PDF Author: H. Scheer
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1134275544
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 3235

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Book Description
The European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conferences are dedicated to accelerating the impetus towards sustainable development of global PV markets. The 16th in the series, held in Glasgow UK, brought together more than 1500 delegates from 72 countries, and provided an important and vital forum for information exchange in the field. The Conference Proceedings place on record a new phase of market development and scientific endeavour in the PV industry, representing current and innovative thinking in all aspects of the science, technology, markets and business of photovoltaics. In three volumes, the Proceedings present some 790 papers selected for presentation by the scientific review committee of the 16th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference. The comprehensive range of topics covered comprise: * Fundamentals, Novel Devices and New Materials * Thin Film Cells and Technologies * Space Cells and Systems * Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells and Technologies * PV Integration in Buildings * PV Modules and Components of PV Systems * Implementation, Strategies, National Programs and Financing Schemes * Market Deployment in Developing Countries These proceedings are an essential reference for all involved in the global PV industry- scientists, researchers, technologists and those with an interest in global market trends. The conference was organised by WIP-Renewable Energies, Munich, Germany.