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Assessment of Photovoltaic Junction Position in CdTe Solar Cells Using a Combined FIB-EBIC Technique

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 May 2012

Jonathan D. Major ,
Leon Bowen ,
Robert E. Treharne  and
Ken Durose
Jonathan D. Major*
Affiliation:
Stephenson Institute for Renewable Energy, School of Physical Sciences, Chadwick Building, University of Liverpool, L69 7ZF, United Kingdom
Leon Bowen
Affiliation:
G. J. Russell Microscopy Facility, University of Durham, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, United Kingdom.
Robert E. Treharne
Affiliation:
Stephenson Institute for Renewable Energy, School of Physical Sciences, Chadwick Building, University of Liverpool, L69 7ZF, United Kingdom
Ken Durose
Affiliation:
Stephenson Institute for Renewable Energy, School of Physical Sciences, Chadwick Building, University of Liverpool, L69 7ZF, United Kingdom
*
*corresponding author Telephone – +441517959049 Email – Jon.Major@liverpool.ac.uk
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Abstract

Two issues relating to the determination of junction position in thin film CdTe solar cells have been investigated. Firstly, the use of a focussed ion beam (FIB) milling as a method of sample preparation for electron beam induced current (EBIC) analysis is demonstrated. It is superior to fracturing methods. High quality secondary electron and combined secondary electron/EBIC images are presented and interpreted for solar cells with CdTe layers deposited by both close space sublimation (CSS) or RF sputtering. Secondly, it was shown that in an RF-sputtered CdTe device, while the photovoltaic junction was buried ~1.1 μm from the metallurgical interface, the shape of the external quantum efficiency (EQE) curve did not indicate the presence of a buried homo-junction. SCAPS modelling was used to verify that EQE curve shapes are not sensitive to junctions buried < 1.5μm from the CdTe/CdS interface.

Type
Articles
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1432: Symposium G – “Reliability and Materials Issues of III-V and II-VI Semiconductor Optical and Electron Devices and Materials II” , 2012 , mrss12-1432-g11-06
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2012

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References

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