The Status of and Challenges in CdTe Thin-Film Solar-Cell Technology

2004 ◽  
Vol 808 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alvin D. Compaan
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Magnetron Sputtering ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Rf Magnetron Sputtering ◽  
Cdte Thin Film ◽  
Large Area ◽  
The Status ◽  
Solar Cell Technology

ABSTRACTPolycrystalline CdTe thin-film solar cells have shown high potential for low cost, large-area module fabrication. But successful large-scale commercial production has been elusive. Fabrication of the basic n-CdS/p-CdTe heterojunction is possible by a wide variety of methods, including close-spaced sublimation, vapor-transport deposition, electrodeposition, chemical bath deposition, and magnetron sputtering. An overview of these methods is presented as well as the role of the postdeposition “activation” treatment using CdCl2 and issues related to the difficulty of obtaining low resistance back contacts to CdTe. We present some of our recent fabrication results using rf magnetron sputtering and discuss some of the advantages that appear possible from the use of sputtering methods in this class of materials. Some of these advantages are particularly relevant as the polycrystalline thin-film PV community addresses the challenges of fabricating tandem cells with efficiencies over 25%.

CdTe Thin-Film Solar Cells

MRS Bulletin ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 18 (10) ◽  
pp. 45-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Suntola
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Cadmium Telluride ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Thick Layer ◽  
Thin Film Solar Cells ◽  
Cdte Thin Film ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Cell Structures

Cadmium telluride is currently the most promising material for high efficiency, low-cost thin-film solar cells. Cadmium telluride is a compound semiconductor with an ideal 1.45 eV bandgap for direct light-to-electricity conversion. The light absorption coefficient of CdTe is high enough to make a one-micrometer-thick layer of material absorb over 99% of the visible light. Processing homogenous polycrystalline thin films seems to be less critical for CdTe than for many other compound semiconductors. The best small-area CdTe thin-film cells manufactured show more than 15% conversion efficiency. Large-area modules with aperture efficiencies in excess of 10% have also been demonstrated. The long-term stability of CdTe solar cell structures is not known in detail or in the necessary time span. Indication of good stability has been demonstrated. One of the concerns about CdTe solar cells is the presence of cadmium which is an environmentally hazardous material.

CuInSe2 Thin Film Modules for Utility Applications

1994 ◽  
Vol 116 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-27
Author(s):  
C. Fredric ◽  
D. Tarrant ◽  
C. Jensen ◽  
J. Hummel ◽  
J. Ermer
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Single Crystal Silicon ◽  
Outdoor Exposure ◽  
Production Costs ◽  
Scale Production ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Crystal Silicon ◽  
Thin Film Fabrication

Recent advances in the efficiency and manufacturing technology of CuInSe2 (CIS) thin films demonstrate the opportunity for low-cost large-scale production of photovoltaics for utility applications. Large area (0.4 m2) submodules with 9.7 percent aperture efficiencies yielding 37.8 watts have been fabricated. Thin film fabrication techniques used in the production of modules enable reduced production costs compared with those for single crystal silicon. The performance of 0.4 m2 modules is projected to exceed 50 watts, based on performance achieved to date on 0.1 m2 modules and small area test devices. Preliminary tests packaged (encapsulated and framed) modules show no significant losses after 15 1/2 months of continuous outdoor exposure. Fabrication of 0.4 m2 modules to demonstrate the feasibility of large-scale commercialization of CIS thin film photovoltaics for utility applications is currently under way.

Role of annealing environment on the performances of large area ITO films produced by rf magnetron sputtering

2005 ◽  
Vol 487 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 271-276 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Canhola ◽  
N. Martins ◽  
L. Raniero ◽  
S. Pereira ◽  
E. Fortunato ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetron Sputtering ◽  
Rf Magnetron Sputtering ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Ito Films

Characterization of Zinc Oxide Thin Films Deposited by rf Magnetron Sputtering on Mylar Substrates

2001 ◽  
Vol 666 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elvira Fortunato ◽  
Patrícia Nunes ◽  
António Marques ◽  
Daniel Costa ◽  
Hugo Águas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Zinc Oxide ◽  
Magnetron Sputtering ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Substrate Surface ◽  
Hexagonal Wurtzite Structure ◽  
Rf Magnetron Sputtering ◽  
Oxide Thin Films ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Axis Orientation

ABSTRACTAluminium doped zinc oxide thin films (ZnO:Al) have been deposited on polyester (Mylar type D, 100 µm thickness) substrates at room temperature by r.f. magnetron sputtering. The structural, morphological, optical and electrical properties of the deposited films have been studied. The samples are polycrystalline with a hexagonal wurtzite structure and a strong crystallographic c-axis orientation (002) perpendicular to the substrate surface. The ZnO:Al thin films with 85% transmittance in the visible and infra-red region and a resistivity as low as 3.6×10−2 ωcm have been obtained, as deposited. The obtained results are comparable to those ones obtained on glass substrates, opening a new field of low cost, light weight, small volume, flexible and unbreakable large area optoelectronic devices.

Large-area CsPbBr3 perovskite films grown with effective one-step RF-magnetron sputtering

2021 ◽  
Vol 129 (24) ◽  
pp. 245303
Author(s):  
Fan Xu ◽  
Yujiao Li ◽  
Beilei Yuan ◽  
Yongzheng Zhang ◽  
Haoming Wei ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetron Sputtering ◽  
Rf Magnetron Sputtering ◽  
Large Area ◽  
One Step

Effect of Al2O3-doping on the structure and optoelectronic characteristics of MgZnO thin film prepared by RF magnetron sputtering

2021 ◽  
Vol 127 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Du-Cheng Tsai ◽  
Feng-Kuan Chen ◽  
Zue-Chin Chang ◽  
Bing-Hau Kuo ◽  
Erh-Chiang Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Magnetron Sputtering ◽  
Rf Magnetron Sputtering ◽  
Al2o3 Doping

scholarly journals Performance Improvement of ZnSnO Thin-Film Transistors with Low-Temperature Self-Combustion Reaction

Electronics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 1099
Author(s):  
Ye-Ji Han ◽  
Se Hyeong Lee ◽  
So-Young Bak ◽  
Tae-Hee Han ◽  
Sangwoo Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Photoelectron Spectroscopy ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Thermal Analyses ◽  
Thin Film Transistor ◽  
Sol Gel ◽  
Annealing Temperatures ◽  
Zinc Tin Oxide ◽  
Thermal Limitation

Conventional sol-gel solutions have received significant attention in thin-film transistor (TFT) manufacturing because of their advantages such as simple processing, large-scale applicability, and low cost. However, conventional sol-gel processed zinc tin oxide (ZTO) TFTs have a thermal limitation in that they require high annealing temperatures of more than 500 °C, which are incompatible with most flexible plastic substrates. In this study, to overcome the thermal limitation of conventional sol-gel processed ZTO TFTs, we demonstrated a ZTO TFT that was fabricated at low annealing temperatures of 350 °C using self-combustion. The optimized device exhibited satisfactory performance, with μsat of 4.72 cm2/V∙s, Vth of −1.28 V, SS of 0.86 V/decade, and ION/OFF of 1.70 × 106 at a low annealing temperature of 350 °C for one hour. To compare a conventional sol-gel processed ZTO TFT with the optimized device, thermogravimetric and differential thermal analyses (TG-DTA) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were implemented.

Electron Conduction of Nd0.6Sr0.4FeO3−δ Thin Film with Oxygen Vacancies Prepared by RF Magnetron Sputtering

2017 ◽  
Vol 86 (7) ◽  
pp. 074704 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wataru Namiki ◽  
Takashi Tsuchiya ◽  
Makoto Takayanagi ◽  
Shoto Furuichi ◽  
Makoto Minohara ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Magnetron Sputtering ◽  
Oxygen Vacancies ◽  
Rf Magnetron Sputtering ◽  
Electron Conduction
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