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High rate deposition of thin film CdTe solar cells by pulsed dc magnetron sputtering

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 January 2016

P.M. Kaminski ,
A. Abbas ,
S. Yilmaz ,
J. W. Bowers  and
J.M. Walls
P.M. Kaminski*
Affiliation:
Centre for Renewable Energy Systems Technology, (CREST), School of Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU, UK
A. Abbas
Affiliation:
Centre for Renewable Energy Systems Technology, (CREST), School of Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU, UK
S. Yilmaz
Affiliation:
Centre for Renewable Energy Systems Technology, (CREST), School of Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU, UK
J. W. Bowers
Affiliation:
Centre for Renewable Energy Systems Technology, (CREST), School of Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU, UK
J.M. Walls
Affiliation:
Centre for Renewable Energy Systems Technology, (CREST), School of Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU, UK
*
*Corresponding author: P.M.Kaminski@lboro.ac.uk
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Abstract

A new high rate deposition method has been used to fabricate thin film CdTe photovoltaic devices using pulsed dc magnetron sputtering. The devices have been deposited in superstrate configuration on to a commercial fluorine doped tin oxide transparent conductor on soda lime glass. The cadmium sulphide and cadmium telluride thin films were deposited from compound targets. The magnetrons were mounted vertically around a cylindrical chamber and the substrate carrier rotates so that the layers can be deposited sequentially. The substrates were held at 200°C during deposition, a process condition previously found to minimize the stress in the coatings. Optimization of the process involved a number of parameters including control of pulse frequency, power and working gas pressure. The devices deposited using the process are exceptionally uniform enabling the CdTe absorber thickness to be reduced to ∼1um. The as-deposited material is dense and columnar. The cadmium chloride treatment increases the grain size and removes planar defects. The microstructure of the films before and after activation has been characterized using a number of techniques including transmission electron microscopy, Energy Dispersive mapping and these measurements have been correlated to device performance. The deposition rate is much higher than can be obtained with radio-frequency sputtering and is comparable with methods currently used in thin film CdTe module manufacturing such as Vapour Transport Deposition and Close Space Sublimation.

Keywords

photovoltaicsputteringtransmission electron microscopy (TEM)
Type
Articles
Information
MRS Advances , Volume 1 , Issue 14: Energy and Sustainability , 2016 , pp. 917 - 922
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2016 

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