Solution processing of CdTe nanocrystals for thin-film solar cells

Author

Yoon, W. ; Foos, E.E. ; Lumb, M.P. ; Tischler, J.G.

Author_Institution

U.S. Naval Res. Lab., Washington, DC, USA

fYear

2012

fDate

3-8 June 2012

Abstract

We describe solution-processed sintered nanocrystal solar cells. As the absorber layer, thin-films of CdTe nanocrystals were deposited using a layer-by-layer spin coating process. For Schottky barrier solar cells (ITO/CdTe/Ca/Al), an efficiency of 3.0±0.3% with V_oc= 0.53±0.03 V, J_sc= 13.2±0.2 mA/cm², and FF=43.1±4.2% was measured under AM1.5G conditions. In order to overcome the limitations associated with the Schottky barrier structure, heterojunction solar cells incorporating solution-processed CdSe nanocrystals as an n-type layer were fabricated and characterized. Under darkness, heterojunction devices (ITO/CdTe/CdSe/Al) showed an improved current rectification ratio of 4.53×10² at ±1V in comparison to Schottky barrier solar cells, indicating that a well-defined junction is formed between CdSe and CdTe. Under illumination (AM1.5G), the devices exhibited an average efficiency of ~2% with V_oc=0.50±0.02 V.

Keywords

II-VI semiconductors; Schottky diodes; cadmium compounds; nanostructured materials; semiconductor thin films; sintering; solar cells; spin coating; CdSe; CdTe; Schottky barrier solar cells; absorber layer; current rectification ratio; heterojunction devices; heterojunction solar cells; layer-by-layer spin coating process; sintered nanocrystal solar cells; thin film solar cells; Abstracts; Indium tin oxide; Semiconductor device measurement; CdTe; heterostructure; nanocrystal; photovoltaic; solution; thin-film;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC), 2012 38th IEEE

Conference_Location

Austin, TX

ISSN

0160-8371

Print_ISBN

978-1-4673-0064-3

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/PVSC.2012.6318132

Filename

6318132