Structural and compositional dependence of the CdTe x Se 1-x alloy layer photoactivity in CdTe-based solar cells

Jonathan D. Poplawsky; Wei Guo; Naba Paudel; Amy Ng; Karren More; Donovan Leonard; Yanfa Yan

doi:10.1038/ncomms12537

Structural and compositional dependence of the CdTe x Se 1-x alloy layer photoactivity in CdTe-based solar cells

Jonathan D. Poplawsky, Wei Guo, Naba Paudel, Amy Ng, Karren More, Donovan Leonard, Yanfa Yan

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

The published external quantum efficiency data of the world-record CdTe solar cell suggests that the device uses bandgap engineering, most likely with a CdTe x Se 1-x alloy layer to increase the short-circuit current and overall device efficiency. Here atom probe tomography, transmission electron microscopy and electron beam-induced current are used to clarify the dependence of Se content on the photoactive properties of CdTe x Se 1-x alloy layers in bandgap-graded CdTe solar cells. Four solar cells were prepared with 50, 100, 200 and 400 nm-thick CdSe layers to reveal the formation, growth, composition, structure and photoactivity of the CdTe x Se 1-x alloy with respect to the degree of Se diffusion. The results show that the CdTe x Se 1-x layer photoactivity is highly dependent on the crystalline structure of the alloy (zincblende versus wurtzite), which is also dependent on the Se and Te concentrations.

Original language	English
Article number	12537
Journal	Nature Communications
Volume	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms12537
State	Published - Jul 27 2016

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abstract = "The published external quantum efficiency data of the world-record CdTe solar cell suggests that the device uses bandgap engineering, most likely with a CdTe x Se 1-x alloy layer to increase the short-circuit current and overall device efficiency. Here atom probe tomography, transmission electron microscopy and electron beam-induced current are used to clarify the dependence of Se content on the photoactive properties of CdTe x Se 1-x alloy layers in bandgap-graded CdTe solar cells. Four solar cells were prepared with 50, 100, 200 and 400 nm-thick CdSe layers to reveal the formation, growth, composition, structure and photoactivity of the CdTe x Se 1-x alloy with respect to the degree of Se diffusion. The results show that the CdTe x Se 1-x layer photoactivity is highly dependent on the crystalline structure of the alloy (zincblende versus wurtzite), which is also dependent on the Se and Te concentrations.",

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AU - Poplawsky, Jonathan D.

AU - Guo, Wei

AU - Paudel, Naba

AU - Ng, Amy

AU - More, Karren

AU - Leonard, Donovan

AU - Yan, Yanfa

PY - 2016/7/27

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Structural and compositional dependence of the CdTe x Se 1-x alloy layer photoactivity in CdTe-based solar cells

Abstract

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