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).

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.

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.

Fabrication of Ultra Thin CdS/CdTe Solar Cells by Magnetron Sputtering

Fabrication of Ultra Thin CdS/CdTe Solar Cells by Magnetron Sputtering PDF Author: Victor Plotnikov
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Magnetrons
Languages : en
Pages : 212

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Book Description
CdTe is a nearly perfect absorber material for second generation polycrystalline solar cells because the bandgap closely matches the peak of the solar spectrum, relatively high absorption coefficient and good electronic properties in the polycrystalline phase. Fabricating high-efficiency CdS/CdTe solar cells with an ultra-thin absorber layer is a challenging yet highly desirable step in improving CdTe technology. Most of today's CdTe solar cells utilize an absorber layer which is about 2.5 microns to 8 microns thick. Thinning this layer down typically results in poorer cell performance due to shunting, incomplete photon absorption, fully depleted CdTe layer or interference between the main and the back contact junction when the CdTe layer thickness approaches a certain limit. While some of these losses are fundamental, others can be minimized by careful optimization of the fabrication steps. In this dissertation I present the results of such optimization. Magnetron sputtered CdS/CdTe solar cells with the absorber layer thicknesses from 2.6 microns to 0.3 microns were studied. The deposition process itself and all the post-deposition parameters such as the CdCl2 treatment, thickness of the Cu layer in the thermally evaporated Cu/Au back contact, and the back contact thermal activation/diffusion time for a given CdTe layer thickness were optimized to achieve the top performance for the cell of a given thickness. 13.5 % efficiency cells with 2.5 microns CdTe, 12% cells with 1 microns CdTe, 9.7% cells with 0.5 microns CdTe and 6.7% with 0.3 microns CdTe were fabricated.

Stability Issues in Sputtered CdS/CdTe Solar Cells

Stability Issues in Sputtered CdS/CdTe Solar Cells PDF Author: Naba Raj Paudel
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Photovoltaic cells
Languages : en
Pages : 180

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Book Description


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.

Development and Characterization of Sputtered Films for Applications in CdS-CdTe Solar Cells

Development and Characterization of Sputtered Films for Applications in CdS-CdTe Solar Cells PDF Author: Xu Wang
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Aluminum-zinc alloys
Languages : en
Pages : 146

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Book Description


Thin Film Solar Cells

Thin Film Solar Cells PDF Author: K. L. Chopra
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 1489904182
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 615

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Book Description
"You, 0 Sun, are the eye of the world You are the soul of all embodied beings You are the source of all creatures You are the discipline of all engaged in work" - Translated from Mahabharata 3rd Century BC Today, energy is the lifeline and status symbol of "civilized" societies. All nations have therefore embarked upon Research and Development pro grams of varying magnitudes to explore and effectively utilize renewable sources of energy. Albeit a low-grade energy with large temporal and spatial variations, solar energy is abundant, cheap, clean, and renewable, and thus presents a very attractive alternative source. The direct conver sion of solar energy to electricity (photovoltaic effect) via devices called solar cells has already become an established frontier area of science and technology. Born out of necessity for remote area applications, the first commercially manufactured solar cells - single-crystal silicon and thin film CdS/Cu2S - were available well over 20 years ago. Indeed, all space vehicles today are powered by silicon solar cells. But large-scale terrestrial applications of solar cells still await major breakthroughs in terms of discovering new and radical concepts in solar cell device structures, utilizing relatively more abundant, cheap, and even exotic materials, and inventing simpler and less energy intensive fabrication processes. No doubt, this extraordinary challenge in R/D has led to a virtual explosion of activities in the field of photovoltaics in the last several years.

Capacitance Characteristics of RF Sputtered CdS/CdTe Solar Cells

Capacitance Characteristics of RF Sputtered CdS/CdTe Solar Cells PDF Author: Faming Shen
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Solar cells
Languages : en
Pages : 94

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Book Description


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