Modelling of degradation/recovery phenomena in CdS/CdTe ultrathin film solar cells

Abstract

The degradation/recovery phenomena in ultrathin film solar cells based on CdS/CdTe are theoretically analysed using Sah–Noyce–Shockley theory for generation and recombination in the depletion region. This theory can explain the overlap of the depletion regions at both front and back contacts where the carrier generation and collection are as important as recombination mechanism. The value of physical parameters such as uncompensated defect density, carrier recombination lifetime and band bending at interface are critically important when reducing the thickness of CdTe layer down to sub-micron. The rollover, materials inter-/out-diffusion, complex defect formation and the role of mobile ions are taken into consideration to obtain an insight into the physics of degradation/recovery phenomena in ultrathin CdTe film solar cells. Both mechanisms are precisely analysed drawing the schematics of the energy band diagrams and mobile ions transport paths which in this case is the grain interior. This means that we neglect the metal diffusion through the grain boundaries which are assumed to be completely passivated. This assumption enabled us to study the role of the defects on the carrier transport in the interiors rather than through the boundaries.