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Morphological investigations on CdS‐TCO photovoltaic window layers using atomic force microscopy
Author(s) -
Guillén C.,
Martínez M. A.,
Rodríguez A.,
Herrero J.,
Gutiérrez M. T.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
progress in photovoltaics: research and applications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.286
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1099-159X
pISSN - 1062-7995
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1099-159x(199611/12)4:6<439::aid-pip151>3.0.co;2-r
Subject(s) - materials science , indium tin oxide , crystallite , substrate (aquarium) , layer (electronics) , optoelectronics , oxide , cavity magnetron , conductive atomic force microscopy , atomic force microscopy , transparent conducting film , indium , chemical engineering , grain size , nanotechnology , thin film , sputtering , metallurgy , oceanography , geology , engineering
The morphology of CdS‐indium tin oxide (ITO) and CdS‐ZnO bilayers has been investigated by atomic force microscopy in order to obtain a better understanding of their behaviour as window coatings in solar cells. Chemical bath‐deposited CdS layers with t hicknesses ranging between 0.05 and 0.12 μm and RF‐magnetron‐sputtered ITO and ZnO films have been independently analysed before the study of the combined materials. A CdS thickness below 0.1 μm has been found to be optimal for avoiding the adhesi on of large solution particles from the chemical bath, and thus for achieving a homogeneous CdS layer useful as a polycrystalline substrate to improve the transparent conductive oxide (TCO) grain size.