Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Cadmium Telluride Solar Cells on Ultrathin Glass for Space Applications

  • Published:
Journal of Electronic Materials Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper details the preliminary findings of a study to achieve a durable thin-film CdTe photovoltaic (PV) device structure on ultrathin space-qualified cover glass. An aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) transparent conducting oxide was deposited directly onto the cover glass using metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). The AZO demonstrated low sheet resistance of 10 Ω/□ and high optical transparency of 85% as well as excellent adherence and environmental stability. Preliminary deposition of PV layers onto the AZO on cover glass, by MOCVD, showed the possibility of such a structure, yielding a device conversion efficiency of 7.2%. High series resistance (10 Ω cm2) and low V oc (586 mV) were identified as the limiting factors when compared with the authors’ platform process on indium tin oxide-coated aluminosilicate. The coverage of the Cd1−x Zn x S window layer along with the front contacting of the device were shown to be the major causes of the low efficiency. Further deposition of AZO/CdTe employing an oxygen plasma cleaning step to the cover glass and evaporated gold front contacts significantly improved the device performance. With a highest conversion efficiency of 10.2%, series resistance improved to 4.4 Ω cm2, open-circuit voltage (V oc) up to 667 mV, and good adhesion, this represents the first demonstration of direct deposition of CdTe solar cells onto 100-μm-thick space-qualified cover glass.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. H. Cotal, C. Fetzer, J. Boisvert, G. Kinsey, P. Herbert, H. Yoon, and N. Karam, Energy Environ. Sci. 2, 174 (2009).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. W. Sebolt, Acta Astronaut. 55, 389 (2004).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. J.S. Stroud, J. Chem. Phys. 35, 844–850 (1961).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. R. Zwanenburg and M. Kroon, Proceedings of Seventh European Space Power Conference, Stresa, Italy, 9–13 May 2005 (ESA SP-589, 2005).

  5. R. Zwanenburg, Proceedings of the ‘8th European Space Power Conference’, Constance, Germany, 14–19 September 2008 (ESA SP-661, 2008).

  6. W.L. Rance, J.M. Burst, M.O. Reese, D.M. Meysing, C.A. Wolden, T.A. Gessert, S. Garner, P. Cimo, T.M. Barnes, Proceedings of 39th IEEE Photovoltaics Specialists Conference (Tampa, USA, 2013), pp. 1649–1652.

  7. http://investor.firstsolar.com/releasedetail.cfm?releaseid=755244, Accessed 4 Sept 2013.

  8. M.A. Green, K. Emery, Y. Hishikawa, W. Warta, and E.D. Dunlop, Solar cell efficiency tables (v. 42). Prog. Photovolt. Res. Appl. 21, 827 (2013).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. S.J.C. Irvine, V. Barrioz, D. Lamb, E.W. Jones, and R.L. Rowlands-Jones, J. Cryst. Growth 310, 5198 (2008).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. G. Kartopu, A.J. Clayton, W.S.M. Brooks, S.D. Hodgson, V. Barrioz, A. Maertens, D.A. Lamb, S.J.C. Irvine, Prog. Photovolt: Res. Appl. 22, 18–23 (2014).

    Google Scholar 

  11. A.J. Clayton, S.J.C. Irvine, E.W. Jones, G. Kartopu, V. Barrioz, and W.S.M. Brooks, Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 101, 68 (2012).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. V. Barrioz, G. Kartopu, S.J.C. Irvine, S. Monir, and X. Yang, J. Cryst. Growth 354, 81 (2012).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. D.A. Lamb and S.J.C. Irvine, J. Cryst. Growth 273, 111 (2004).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. J. Hu and R.G. Gordon, J. Appl. Phys. 71, 880 (1992).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. C.H. Ahn, H. Kim, and H.K. Cho, Thin Solid Films 519, 747 (2010).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. W.S.M. Brooks, S.J.C. Irvine, V. Barrioz, and A.J. Clayton, Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 101, 26 (2012).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. S.J.C. Irvine, D.A. Lamb, V. Barrioz, A.J. Clayton, W.S.M. Brooks, S. Rugen-Hankey, and G. Kartopu, Thin Solid Films 520, 1167–1173 (2011).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. D.E. Swanson, R.M. Geisthardt, J.T. McGoffin, J.D. Williams, and J.R. Sites, IEEE J. Photovolt. 3, 838–842 (2013).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. D.E. Swanson, R.M. Lutze, W.S. Sampath, and J.D.Williams, Proceedings of 38th IEEE Photovoltaics Specialists Conference (June 2012), pp. 859–863.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. CSER, Glyndŵr University, OpTIC, St Asaph Business Park, St Asaph, LL17 0UN, Wales, UK

    S.J.C. Irvine, D.A. Lamb, A.J. Clayton, G. Kartopu & V. Barrioz

Authors
  1. S.J.C. Irvine
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. D.A. Lamb
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. A.J. Clayton
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. G. Kartopu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. V. Barrioz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to S.J.C. Irvine.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Irvine, S., Lamb, D., Clayton, A. et al. Cadmium Telluride Solar Cells on Ultrathin Glass for Space Applications. J. Electron. Mater. 43, 2818–2823 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-014-3090-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-014-3090-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation