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On the Origins of Impurities in CdTe-Based Thin Film Solar Cells

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Mahieddine Emziane ,
Douglas P. Halliday ,
Ken Durose ,
Nicola Romeo  and
Alessio Bosio
Mahieddine Emziane
Affiliation:
m.emziane1@physics.ox.ac.uk, Durham University, Department of Physics, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, United Kingdom
Douglas P. Halliday
Affiliation:
d.p.halliday@durham.ac.uk, Durham University, Department of Physics, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, United Kingdom
Ken Durose
Affiliation:
ken.durose@durham.ac.uk, Durham University, Dept. of Physics, South Rd., Durham, DH1 3LE, United Kingdom, 44-191-334-3595, 44-191-334-5823
Nicola Romeo
Affiliation:
nicola.romeo@unipr.it, University of Parma, INFM - Phyiscs Department, Parco Area delle Scienze,, Parma, 7A-43100, Italy
Alessio Bosio
Affiliation:
alessio.bosio@unipr.it, University of Parma, INFM - Phyiscs Department, Parco Area delle Scienze,, Parma, 7A-43100, Italy
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Abstract

We present a multi-element study of impurities in CdTe/CdS photovoltaic cells, aimed at understanding their origins and impact on devices. Our investigation was based on calibrated secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) depth profiling, with Na, Zn, Sn, O, Sb, Si, Cl, In, Cu and Pb being studied. The solar cell structures were grown by sputtering and close-space sublimation, and some of them were further processed (CdCl2 and Br2-methanol) for the purpose of comparison. Using source materials of different purity allowed us to establish the origins of impurities. We found that some elements increased in concentration upon processing, namely Cl (x100), Na (x10), and In (x1.5). The concentrations of Si, Cu, Zn, Sn and Sb found in a processed device were largely unchanged - and are similar to those found in a high purity single crystal CdTe reference sample.

Keywords

photovoltaicII-VIdopant
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1012: Symposium Y – Thin-Film Compound Semiconductor Photovoltaics-2007 , 2007 , 1012-Y03-34
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2007

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References

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