Materials challenges for CdTe and CuInSe2 photovoltaics

被引:40
作者
Beach, Joseph D.
McCandless, Brian E.
机构
关键词
D O I
10.1557/mrs2007.26
中图分类号
T [工业技术];
学科分类号
08 ;
摘要
The record laboratory cell (similar to 1 cm(2) area) efficiency for thin-film cadmium telluride (CdTe) is 16.5%, and that for a copper indium diselenide (CulnSe(2)) thin-film alloy is 19.5%. Commercially produced CdTe and CulnSe(2) modules (0.5-1 m(2) area) have efficiencies in the 7-11% range. Research is needed both to increase laboratory cell efficiencies and to bring those small-area efficiencies to large-area production. Increases in laboratory CdTe cell efficiency will require increasing open-circuit voltage, which will allow cells to harvest more energy from each absorbed photon. This will require extending the minority carrier lifetime from its present tau <= 2 ns to tau <= 10 ns and increasing hole concentration in the CdTe beyond 10(15) cm(2), which appears to be limited by compensating defects. Increasing laboratory CuInSe2-based cell efficiency significantly beyond 19.5% will also require increasing the open-circuit voltage, either by increasing the bandgap, the doping level, or the minority carrier lifetime. The photovoltaic cells in commercial modules occupy tens of square centimeters, and both models and experiments have shown that low-performing regions in small fractions of a cell can significantly reduce the overall cell performance. Increases in commercial module efficiency will require control of materials properties across large deposition areas in a high-throughput environment to minimize such non-uniformities. This article discusses approaches used and research needed to increase the ultimate efficiencies of CdTe- and CulnSe(2)-based devices and translate these gains to commercial photovoltaic modules.
引用
收藏
页码:225 / 229
页数:5
相关论文
共 20 条
  • [1] [Anonymous], P 22 IEEE PHOT SPEC
  • [2] Cd2+/NH3 treatment of Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 thin-filin solar cell absorbers:: A model for the performance-enhancing processes in the partial electrolyte
    Bär, M
    Weinhardt, L
    Heske, C
    Muffler, HJ
    Lux-Steiner, MC
    Umbach, E
    Fischer, CH
    [J]. PROGRESS IN PHOTOVOLTAICS, 2005, 13 (07): : 571 - 577
  • [3] Diode (characteristics in state-of-the-art ZnO/CdS/Cu(In1-xGax)Se2 solar cells
    Contreras, MA
    Ramanathan, K
    AbuShama, J
    Hasoon, F
    Young, DL
    Egaas, B
    Noufi, R
    [J]. PROGRESS IN PHOTOVOLTAICS, 2005, 13 (03): : 209 - 216
  • [4] Gray J. L., 2003, HDB PHOTOVOLTAIC SCI, DOI 10.1002/0470014008
  • [5] GREEN MA, 2006, PROG PHOTOVOL RES AP, V14, P35
  • [6] A comparative study of defect states in evaporated and selenized CIGS(S) solar cells
    Johnson, PK
    Heath, JT
    Cohen, JD
    Ramanathan, K
    Sites, JR
    [J]. PROGRESS IN PHOTOVOLTAICS, 2005, 13 (07): : 579 - 586
  • [7] Kaydanov V.I., 2002, SR52031777 NAT REN E
  • [8] Optimising the open-circuit voltage of Cu(In,Ga)S2 solar cells-design and analysis
    Klenk, R
    Bakehe, S
    Kaigawa, R
    Neisser, A
    Reiss, J
    Lux-Steiner, MC
    [J]. THIN SOLID FILMS, 2004, 451 : 424 - 429
  • [9] MCCANDLESS BE, 2001, MAT RES SOC S P, V668
  • [10] Time-resolved photoluminescence studies of CdTe solar cells
    Metzger, WK
    Albin, D
    Levi, D
    Sheldon, P
    Li, X
    Keyes, BM
    Ahrenkiel, RK
    [J]. JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS, 2003, 94 (05) : 3549 - 3555