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CdTe solar cell in a novel configuration
Author(s) -
Tiwari A. N.,
Khrypunov G.,
Kurdzesau F.,
Bätzner D. L.,
Romeo A.,
Zogg H.
Publication year - 2004
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/pip.525
Subject(s) - cadmium telluride photovoltaics , materials science , solar cell , indium tin oxide , optoelectronics , annealing (glass) , oxide , quantum dot solar cell , layer (electronics) , nanotechnology , polymer solar cell , composite material , metallurgy
Polycrystalline thin‐film CdTe/CdS solar cells have been developed in a configuration in which a transparent conducting layer of indium tin oxide (ITO) has been used for the first time as a back electrical contact on p‐CdTe. Solar cells of 7·9% efficiency were developed on SnO x :F‐coated glass substrates with a low‐temperature (<450°C) high‐vacuum evaporation method. After the CdCl 2 annealing treatment of the CdTe/CdS stack, a bromine methanol solution was used for etching the CdTe surface prior to the ITO deposition. The unique features of this solar cell with both front and back contacts being transparent and conducting are that the cell can be illuminated from either or both sides simultaneously like a ‘bi‐facial’ cell, and it can be used in tandem solar cells. The solar cells with transparent conducting oxide back contact show long‐term stable performance under accelerated test conditions. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.