Fabrication of Thin-Film Solar Cells Based on CdTe Films and Investigation of Their Photoelectrical Properties

Abstract

This study presents the results of investigating thin-film CdS/CdTe-based solar cells obtained on glass substrates with In2O3(Sn) and SnO2 frontal electrodes. On the surface of frontal electrodes (In2O3(Sn)/SnO2), 100-nm thick cadmium sulfide films were deposited by vacuum thermal evaporation at a substrate temperature of 200°C, then application of 4–5-μm thick cadmium telluride films by chemical molecular beam deposition at a substrate temperature of 600°C. The obtained heterosystems were subjected to “chloride” treatment, which is a standard technological operation for the fabrication of efficient solar cells based on CdS/CdTe. Photoelectrical characteristics of the resulting solar cells were studied. An increase in the efficiency of thin-film solar cells after heat treatment was shown.