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Effects of Rapid Thermal Annealing on CdTe/CdS Solar Cell Fabrication

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

Y. A. Cho ,
W. J. Nam ,
H. S. Kim ,
G. Y. Yeom ,
J. K. Yoon ,
K. H. Oho ,
S. H. Shin  and
K. J. Park
Y. A. Cho
Affiliation:
Materials Engineering Department, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Kora
W. J. Nam
Affiliation:
Materials Engineering Department, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Kora
H. S. Kim
Affiliation:
Materials Engineering Department, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Kora
G. Y. Yeom
Affiliation:
Materials Engineering Department, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Kora
J. K. Yoon
Affiliation:
National Institute of Technology and Quality, Kwachon, Korea
K. H. Oho
Affiliation:
National Institute of Technology and Quality, Kwachon, Korea
S. H. Shin
Affiliation:
National Institute of Technology and Quality, Kwachon, Korea
K. J. Park
Affiliation:
National Institute of Technology and Quality, Kwachon, Korea
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Abstract

Rapid thermal annealing (RTA) was applied to anneal polycrystalline CdTe thin films evaporated on CdS/ITO substrate and the effects of rapid thermal annealing temperatures and gas environments were studied. X-ray diffractometer (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy(EDX), cross-sectional transmission microscopy(TEM), and micro-EDX in TEM were used to characterize physical and chemical properties of rapid thermal annealed CdTe thin films. Complete CdTe/CdS photovoltaic cells were fabricated and I-V characteristics of these cells were measured under the illumination. Results showed that the bulk composition of CdTe remained stoichiometric to 550°C in the air environment and surface composition became Cd-rich. Cross-sectional TEM and micro-EDX showed columnar grains and micro-twins remained even after RTA, however, sulfur content in rapid thermal annealed CdTe caused by sulfur diffusion from CdS during the annealing was much smaller than that by furnace annealing. Among the investigated RTA temperatures and gas environments, the cell made with CdTe annealed at 550°C in the air showed the best solar energy conversion efficiency.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 426: Symposium J – Thin Films for Photovoltaic and Related Device , 1996 , 379
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1996

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