Simulation Analysis of Thermal Degradation in Graphene Back Contacted CdTe Ultrathin Films

Simulation analysis of the thermal degradation in performance of a graphene back contacted CdS/CdTe ultrathin film solar cell is performed using Solar Cell Capacitance Simulator. The application of the graphene nanolayer on the CdTe materials is interesting because of its cheaper cost, excellent electronic properties, and optical advantages. Degradation of a CdTe thin-film photovoltaics is mostly driven from the metallic back contacts. The graphene carbon-carbon network can reduce the extra interdiffusion of the metallic ions from the metallic back contacts to the front contact through the grain boundaries. The number of graphene layers determines the resistivity of this layer at the contact. This resistivity changes under the thermal stress. Thus, we investigate the degradation of the device metrics under thermal stress and compare it with the few experimental data reported in the literature.