Open AccessAdvanced processing technology for high-efficiency, thin-film CuInSe{sub 2} and CdTe solar cells. Final subcontract report, March 1, 1992--April 30, 1995
Author(s) -
D.L. Morel,
C.S. Ferekides
Publication year - 1996
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.2172/179202
Subject(s) - sputtering , cadmium telluride photovoltaics , solar cell , sublimation (psychology) , materials science , fabrication , deposition (geology) , ceramic , process engineering , nanotechnology , photovoltaics , engineering physics , optoelectronics , thin film , metallurgy , photovoltaic system , engineering , electrical engineering , medicine , psychology , paleontology , alternative medicine , pathology , sediment , psychotherapist , biology
This report describes work performed by the University of South Florida to develop a manufacturing-friendly fabrication process for CuInSe{sub 2} (CIS) solar cells. The process developed under this project uses conventional deposition processes and equipment, does not require stringent process control, and uses elemental Se as the selenium source. The authors believe it can be readily scaled up using off-the-shelf processing equipment and that it will meet the low manufacturing-cost objectives. Another significant achievement under this project was the development of a reactive sputtering deposition technology for ZnO. ZnO is used in many solar cell devices, and sputtering is a desirable manufacturing technology. The application of sputtering has been limited because conventional deposition uses ceramic targets that result in low sputtering rates. The use of Zn metal as the target in reactive sputtering overcomes this limitation. The authors have demonstrated that ZnO deposited by reactive sputtering has state-of-the-art opto-electronic properties. These developments result in large-area uniformity and optimized performance and provide a significant opportunity for applying and commercializing the technology. The second objective of this project was to fabricate high-efficiency CdTe solar cells using manufacturing-friendly processes. Three deposition processes were used to deposit CdS films: chemical bath deposition, rf sputtering, and close-spaced sublimation (CSS). The CdTe films were deposited by CSS. A cell with a record efficiency of 15.8% was obtained