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TEM study of Locations of Cu in CdTe Solar Cells

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Yanfa Yan ,
Kim Jones ,
Jie Zhou ,
Xuanzhi Wu  and
Mowafak Al-Jassim
Yanfa Yan
Affiliation:
yanfa_yan@nrel.gov, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, NCPV, 1617 Cole Blvd, Golden, CO, 80401, United States, (303) 384 6456
Kim Jones
Affiliation:
kim_jones@nrel.gov, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, NCPV, 1617 Cole Blvd, Golden, CO, 80401, USA, United States
Jie Zhou
Affiliation:
jie_zhou@nrel.gov, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, NCPV, 1617 Cole Blvd, Golden, CO, 80401, USA, United States
Xuanzhi Wu
Affiliation:
xuanzhi_wu@nrel.gov, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, NCPV, 1617 Cole Blvd, Golden, CO, 80401, USA, United States
Mowafak Al-Jassim
Affiliation:
mowafak_aljassim@nrel.gov, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, NCPV, 1617 Cole Blvd, Golden, CO, 80401, USA, United States
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Abstract

Using scanning transmission electron microscopy and nanoprobe X-ray energy-dispersive spectroscopy, we studied the locations of Cu in CdTe solar cells and test interfaces with intentionally introduced Cu sources. We found three primary locations of Cu: 1) back-contact region, 2) CdTe layer, and 3) CdTe/CdS junction areas. In the back-contact region, Cu diffused from back-contact can convert the Te-rich layer into Cu-Te compounds. In the CdTe layer, a higher concentration of Cu is found to distribute along grain boundaries, but not in twin boundaries and stacking faults. In the CdTe/CdS junction area, Cu is found uniformly in the CdS layer. However, significant segregation of Cu into CdS/TCO interfaces is also found.

Keywords

scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM)Cusemiconducting
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1012: Symposium Y – Thin-Film Compound Semiconductor Photovoltaics-2007 , 2007 , 1012-Y04-09
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2007

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References

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