CdTe solar cell in a novel configuration

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 CdCl₂ 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.     

Application of high mobility transparent conductors to enhance long wavelength transparency of the intermediate solar cell in multi-junction solar cells

High mobility transparent conducting oxide (HMTCO) materials (mobility > 60 cm² V^− 1 s^− 1) have a high transmission over the visible to near infra red wavelength region with resistivity < 2 × 10^− 4 Ω cm. We investigate the application of HMTCO materials as transparent contacts for multi-junction and bifacial solar cells to increase the device NIR transmission. Using the HMTCO materials as front contacts significantly reduces absorption and reflection losses of the solar cells, from 850-1500 nm. The need to develop a low temperature process to prepare HMTCO materials as back contacts in semi-transparent solar cells is also emphasized.     

Study of buried junction and uniformity effects in CdTe/CdS solar cells using a combined OBIC and EQE apparatus

A study of junction position and uniformity in CdTe/CdS solar cells is reported in which the influence of excluding oxygen from the CdS layers was investigated. The samples were characterised with an optical beam induced current instrument capable of mapping the cell response in the range 400-900 µm at a resolution of 12.5 µm — either as a map or a quantum efficiency spectrum. For oxygen-free CdS, the junctions were always buried in the CdTe — at a depth presumed to be controlled by the chloride treatment. If CdS:O is used then shallow junctions result, indicating that such layers have a role in doping the devices. The wavelength dependence of the spatial uniformity of the cell's responses is also discussed.     

Investigation of HgCdTe p-n device structures grown by liquid-phase epitaxy

The microstructure of p-n device structures grown by liquid-phase epitaxy (LPE) on CdZnTe substrates has been evaluated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The devices consisted of thick (∼21-μm) n-type layers and thin (∼1.6-μm) p-type layers, with final CdTe (∼0.5 μm) passivation layers. Initial observations revealed small defects, both within the n-type layer (doped with 8×10¹⁴/cm³ of In) and also within the p-type layer but at a much reduced level. These defects were not visible, however, in cross-sectional samples prepared by ion milling with the sample held at liquid nitrogen temperature. Only isolated growth defects were observed in samples having low indium doping levels (2×10¹⁴/cm³). The CdTe passivation layers were generally columnar and polycrystalline, and interfaces with the p-type HgCdTe layers were uneven. No obvious structural changes were apparent in the region of the CdTe/HgCdTe interfaces as a result of annealing at 250°C.     

Improved performance of CdTe thin film solar cells through controlling the initial stage of the CdTe layer deposition by close-spaced sublimation

Control of the initial stage of the CdTe deposition was investigated by modifying the substrate and the source temperature profiles in close-spaced sublimation (CSS) process for improving the performance of CdTe thin film solar cells. In the modified temperature profile, the substrate temperature was increased with higher rate than that of the source temperature. By using the modified temperature profile, the conversion efficiency was improved as compared with the conventional temperature profile, and 15.3% efficiency (V_oc: 0.811 V, J_sc: 26.3 mA/cm², FF: 0.718, 1 cm², AM 1.5) was achieved.     

聚4-乙烯基吡啶对碲化镉量子点的表面改性

用巯基丙酸为配体合成了碲化镉(CdTe)量子点。以聚丙烯酸(PAA)为桥梁合成了聚4-乙烯基吡啶-碲化镉(P4-VP-CdTe)复合纳米粒子。通过红外光谱(IR)和透射电镜(TEM)紫外-可见吸收光谱(UV-Vis)、荧光发射光谱(PL)对其对其进行表征。结果表明,PAA能有效的促进P4-VP与CdTe的复合,这种复合结构的形成有效的改善了CdTe的稳定性及光学性质。     

薄膜太阳能电池研究进展

薄膜太阳能电池是缓解能源危机的新型光伏器件。综述了硅基薄膜太阳能电池、CdTe薄膜太阳能电池、CIS（CIGS）薄膜太阳能电池、TiO2薄膜太阳能电池、ZnO薄膜太阳能电池和有机薄膜太阳能电池的研究现状,展望了太阳能电池的发展趋势。     

Transparent,fluorescent, and mechanical enhanced elastomeric composites formed with poly (styrene‐butadiene‐styrene) and SiO2‐hybridized CdTe quantum dots

Transparent poly(styrene‐butadiene‐styrene) (SBS)‐quantum dots (QDs) composites (SBS/CdTe QDs) that simultaneously possess strong photoluminescence (PL) and enhanced mechanical properties are presented for the first time based on the facile blending of SiO₂‐hybridized CdTe QDs with SBS. UV–vis spectrum and fluorescence measurement show that SBS/CdTe QDs composites exhibit good optical properties. The results of transmission electron microscopy show good dispersion of CdTe QDs in the SBS matrix. The results of dynamic mechanical thermal analysis indicate that the micro‐phase separated structure of the SBS is exist in the composites, and the presence of CdTe QDs can lead to an decrease of glass transition temperatures of polybutadiene (PB) and polystyrene(PS) domains. In addition, mechanical tests reveal that the addition of CdTe QDs is a useful approach to improve the mechanical properties of SBS. Meanwhile, the fluorescent photographs taken under ultraviolet light prove that SBS/CdTe QDs composites possess strong PL. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011.     

Electrodeposition Behaviour of Cadmium Telluride from 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium Chloride Tetrafluoroborate Ionic Liquid

Voltammetry at a glassy carbon electrode was used to study the electrochemical deposition of Cd–Te from the Lewis basic 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride/tetrafluoroborate air-stable room temperature ionic liquid between 80 °C and 140 °C. Deposition of tellurium alone occurs through a four-electron reduction of Te(iv) to Te which could be further reduced to Te(-ii) at a more negative potential. The Cd–Te electrodeposits could be obtained by the underpotential deposition (UPD) of Cd on the deposited Te. The UPD of Cd on Te was, however, limited by a slow charge transfer rate. Samples of Cd–Te electrodeposits were prepared on tungsten and titanium substrates and characterized by energy dispersive spectroscope (EDS), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). The results showed that an excess amount of Cd(ii) was required in order to prepare CdTe codeposits with a Cd/Te atomic ratio approached 1/1. The deposit composition was independent of the deposition potential within the Cd UPD range. Raising the deposition temperature increased the UPD rate of Cd and promoted the formation polycrystalline CdTe.     

密度泛函理论研究（CdTe）_n和（HgTe）_n团簇的基态结构和电子性质

采用密度泛函理论中的广义梯度近似对（CdTe）n和（HgTe）n（n=2～8）团簇的几何结构进行优化,计算了其能量,研究了其电子性质。结合能、最高占据轨道和最低未占据轨道的能隙计算结果表明,n=3、6是团簇的幻数;比较2种团簇的基态结构,发现2种团簇的最低能量结构不同,这可能是导致块体材料CdTe是宽带隙半导体材料,而HgTe是半金属材料的原因。