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Effects of Different Fluorine Dopants on the Properties of the Tin Oxide Window Layer and CdTe/CdS Solar Cell

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Xiaonan Li ,
Mailasu Bai ,
Joel Pankow ,
Sally E. Asher ,
Helio Moutinho R. Moutinho  and
Tim Gessert
Xiaonan Li
Affiliation:
xiaonan_li@nrel.gov, NREL, 5200, 1617, Cole Blvd, Golden, CO, 80401, United States, 303-384-6428, 303-384-7600
Mailasu Bai
Affiliation:
mbai@mines.edu, Colorado School of Mines, 1500 Illinois Street, Golden, CO, 80401, United States
Joel Pankow
Affiliation:
joel_pankow@nrel.gov, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 5200, 1617 Cole Blvd., Golden, CO, 80401, United States
Sally E. Asher
Affiliation:
sally_asher@nrel.gov, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 5200, 1617 Cole Blvd., Golden, CO, 80401, United States
Helio Moutinho R. Moutinho
Affiliation:
helio_moutinho@nrel.gov, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 5200, 1617 Cole Blvd., Golden, CO, 80401, United States
Tim Gessert
Affiliation:
tim_gessert@nrel.gov, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 5200, 1617 Cole Blvd., Golden, CO, 80401, United States
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Abstract

Conductive tin-oxide (SnO2) film is doped by group V or VII elements. Of all possible dopants, fluorine provides n-type SnO2 with the best electronic and optical properties. However, the commonly used fluorine dopant, bromotrifluoromethane (CBrF3), is a greenhouse gas. Thus, an alternative fluorine source is needed. In this work, we compared CIF3 as a fluorine dopant to CBrF3. With CBrF3 dopant, optimized carrier concentration and electron mobility values can reach to mid 1020 cm-3 and over 40 cm2/V-s, respectively. After carrier concentration saturates, the electronic mobility continues to improve with an increase of CBrF3 dopant concentration. As a comparison, to achieve similar carrier concentration, far less CIF3 dopant is required. However, the electron mobility is lower (<30 cm2/V-s) and does not improve with an increase of dopant concentration. The low electron mobility increases the optical absorption, especially of long wavelengthes. Considering CdTe/CdS solar cell efficiency, the device with a CIF3-doped SnO2 window layer provides the lower photocurrent.

Keywords

thin filmchemical vapor deposition (CVD) (deposition)dopant
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1012: Symposium Y – Thin-Film Compound Semiconductor Photovoltaics-2007 , 2007 , 1012-Y02-04
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2007

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