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Abstract
A 3-layer graded-bandgap solar cell with glass/FTO/ZnS/CdS/CdTe/Au structure has been fabricated using all-electrodeposited ZnS, CdS and CdTe thin layers. The three semiconductor layers were electrodeposited using a two-electrode system for process simplification. The incorporation of a wide bandgap amorphous ZnS as a buffer/window layer to form glass/FTO/ZnS/CdS/CdTe/Au solar cell resulted in the formation of this 3-layer graded-bandgap device structure. This has yielded corresponding improvement in all the solar cell parameters resulting in a conversion efficiency >10% under AM1.5 illumination conditions at room temperature, compared to the 8.0% efficiency of a 2-layer glass/FTO/CdS/CdTe/Au reference solar cell structure. These results demonstrate the advantages of the multi-layer graded-bandgap device architecture over the conventional 2-layer structure. In addition, they demonstrate the effective application of the two-electrode system as a simplification to the conventional three-electrode system in the electrodeposition of semiconductors with the elimination of the reference electrode as a possible impurity source.
Highlights
Progress in the development of high-efficiency CdTe-based solar cells has been very slow over the past two decades
The results of optical absorption measurements for the electrodeposited ZnS, CdS and CdTe layers are presented in Figure 2a–c, respectively
A simplification of the electrodeposition process using two-electrode system is an interesting feature of this process as has been shown
Summary
Progress in the development of high-efficiency CdTe-based solar cells has been very slow over the past two decades. Reducing the thickness of CdS reduces the absorption of photons from the visible region of the solar spectrum near the FTO/CdS interface, allowing more photons from this region to reach the absorber material for generation and collection of more charge carriers so as to improve the short-circuit current density of the cell. ZnO (Al-ZnO) [14], SnO2 [15] and zinc stannate (ZTO) [2] have all been reported in the literature This approach helps to improve the fill factor and open-circuit voltage of the solar cell to some extent, but in return can limit the short-circuit current density due to the additional series resistance introduced by the resistive buffer layer and again if it is not transparent enough. Results of the electrodeposition process, materials characterization, as well as device fabrication and assessment of the CdTe-based multi-layer graded-bandgap solar cells are presented in this paper
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