IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/rensus/v207y2025ics1364032124007226.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Research on ultra-thin cadmium telluride heterojunction thin film solar cells

Author

Listed:
  • Tai, Yunpu
  • Zhang, Xin
  • Li, Jiawei
  • Zheng, Yujie
  • Liu, Guomei
  • Zhang, Jingquan
  • Zeng, Guanggen
  • Yakubov, Komiljon
  • Alla, Chebotareva

Abstract

Cadmium Telluride thin film solar cell is very suitable for building integrated photovoltaics due to its high efficiency and excellent stability. To further reduce the production costs, relieve the scarcity of Tellurium, and apply in building integrated photovoltaics, ultra-thin CdTe photovoltaic technology has been developed. Some study have discussed the research progress of ultra-thin solar cells in terms of silicon and copper indium gallium selenide solar cells, but there are few review papers from the aspect of CdTe solar cells. This review focuses on the ultra-thin CdTe solar cell for the first time and provides a comprehensive and systematic summary. Firstly, the structure of this device is described, and the history of its development is reviewed. Secondly, the advantages and disadvantages of different methods are discussed, and the corresponding solutions are given. Thirdly, the factors limiting device efficiency are analyzed and future directions are suggested. Lastly, the application of ultra-thin device in semi-transparent devices is presented and the challenges are summarized. By reviewing a wide range of materials, we aim to provide valuable insights into the development of ultra-thin cadmium telluride solar cells and to promote its application in building integrated photovoltaics, which is of great importance in reducing carbon emissions to achieve sustainable development.

Suggested Citation

  • Tai, Yunpu & Zhang, Xin & Li, Jiawei & Zheng, Yujie & Liu, Guomei & Zhang, Jingquan & Zeng, Guanggen & Yakubov, Komiljon & Alla, Chebotareva, 2025. "Research on ultra-thin cadmium telluride heterojunction thin film solar cells," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 207(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:207:y:2025:i:c:s1364032124007226
    DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2024.114996
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032124007226
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.rser.2024.114996?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Feltrin, Andrea & Freundlich, Alex, 2008. "Material considerations for terawatt level deployment of photovoltaics," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 33(2), pages 180-185.
    2. Muthu Vimala & Geetha Ramadas & Muthaiya Perarasi & Athikesavan Muthu Manokar & Ravishankar Sathyamurthy, 2023. "A Review of Different Types of Solar Cell Materials Employed in Bifacial Solar Photovoltaic Panel," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(8), pages 1-19, April.
    3. Alessio Bosio & Greta Rosa & Daniele Menossi & Nicola Romeo, 2016. "How the Chlorine Treatment and the Stoichiometry Influences the Grain Boundary Passivation in Polycrystalline CdTe Thin Films," Energies, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-13, March.
    4. Alessandro Romeo & Elisa Artegiani, 2021. "CdTe-Based Thin Film Solar Cells: Past, Present and Future," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-24, March.
    5. Lee, Taesoo D. & Ebong, Abasifreke U., 2017. "A review of thin film solar cell technologies and challenges," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 1286-1297.
    6. Romain Cariou & Jan Benick & Frank Feldmann & Oliver Höhn & Hubert Hauser & Paul Beutel & Nasser Razek & Markus Wimplinger & Benedikt Bläsi & David Lackner & Martin Hermle & Gerald Siefer & Stefan W. , 2018. "III–V-on-silicon solar cells reaching 33% photoconversion efficiency in two-terminal configuration," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 3(4), pages 326-333, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Venkateswari, R. & Sreejith, S., 2019. "Factors influencing the efficiency of photovoltaic system," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 376-394.
    2. Chee, A. Kuan-Way, 2023. "On current technology for light absorber materials used in highly efficient industrial solar cells," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    3. Abolhosseini, Shahrouz & Heshmati, Almas & Altmann, Jörn, 2014. "A Review of Renewable Energy Supply and Energy Efficiency Technologies," IZA Discussion Papers 8145, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Deng-Bing Li & Sandip S. Bista & Rasha A. Awni & Sabin Neupane & Abasi Abudulimu & Xiaoming Wang & Kamala K. Subedi & Manoj K. Jamarkattel & Adam B. Phillips & Michael J. Heben & Jonathan D. Poplawsky, 2022. "20%-efficient polycrystalline Cd(Se,Te) thin-film solar cells with compositional gradient near the front junction," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-8, December.
    5. Marwede, Max & Berger, Wolfgang & Schlummer, Martin & Mäurer, Andreas & Reller, Armin, 2013. "Recycling paths for thin-film chalcogenide photovoltaic waste – Current feasible processes," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 220-229.
    6. Freier, Daria & Ramirez-Iniguez, Roberto & Jafry, Tahseen & Muhammad-Sukki, Firdaus & Gamio, Carlos, 2018. "A review of optical concentrators for portable solar photovoltaic systems for developing countries," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 957-968.
    7. M. M. Hasan & Shakhawat Hossain & M. Mofijur & Zobaidul Kabir & Irfan Anjum Badruddin & T. M. Yunus Khan & Esam Jassim, 2023. "Harnessing Solar Power: A Review of Photovoltaic Innovations, Solar Thermal Systems, and the Dawn of Energy Storage Solutions," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-30, September.
    8. Sueyoshi, Toshiyuki & Goto, Mika, 2017. "Measurement of returns to scale on large photovoltaic power stations in the United States and Germany," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 306-320.
    9. Salah, Mostafa M. & Saeed, Ahmed & Mousa, Mohamed & Abouelatta, Mohamed & Zekry, A. & Shaker, Ahmed & Amer, Fathy Z. & Mubarak, Roaa I., 2024. "Numerical analysis of carbon-based perovskite tandem solar cells: Pathways towards high efficiency and stability," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 189(PB).
    10. Alessio Bosio & Gianluca Foti & Stefano Pasini & Donato Spoltore, 2023. "A Review on the Fundamental Properties of Sb 2 Se 3 -Based Thin Film Solar Cells," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-28, September.
    11. Leena Grandell & Mikael Höök, 2015. "Assessing Rare Metal Availability Challenges for Solar Energy Technologies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(9), pages 1-20, August.
    12. Pedroza-Díaz, Alfredo & Rodrigo, Pedro M. & Dávalos-Orozco, Óscar & De-la-Vega, Eduardo & Valera-Albacete, Álvaro, 2025. "Review of explicit models for photovoltaic cell electrical characterization," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 207(C).
    13. Elshkaki, Ayman & Graedel, T.E., 2015. "Solar cell metals and their hosts: A tale of oversupply and undersupply," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 158(C), pages 167-177.
    14. Lloyd, Bob & Forest, Andrew S., 2010. "The transition to renewables: Can PV provide an answer to the peak oil and climate change challenges?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(11), pages 7378-7394, November.
    15. Yiqing Dai & Yan Yin & Yundi Lu, 2021. "Strategies to Facilitate Photovoltaic Applications in Road Structures for Energy Harvesting," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-14, October.
    16. Kim, Junbeum & Guillaume, Bertrand & Chung, Jinwook & Hwang, Yongwoo, 2015. "Critical and precious materials consumption and requirement in wind energy system in the EU 27," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 327-334.
    17. Benjamin C. McLellan & Eiji Yamasue & Tetsuo Tezuka & Glen Corder & Artem Golev & Damien Giurco, 2016. "Critical Minerals and Energy–Impacts and Limitations of Moving to Unconventional Resources," Resources, MDPI, vol. 5(2), pages 1-40, May.
    18. Asim, Nilofar & Sopian, Kamaruzzaman & Ahmadi, Shideh & Saeedfar, Kasra & Alghoul, M.A. & Saadatian, Omidreza & Zaidi, Saleem H., 2012. "A review on the role of materials science in solar cells," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 16(8), pages 5834-5847.
    19. Dadouche, F. & Béthoux, O. & Kleider, J.-P., 2011. "New silicon thin-film technology associated with original DC–DC converter: An economic alternative way to improve photovoltaic systems efficiencies," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 1749-1757.
    20. Nassar, Nedal T. & Wilburn, David R. & Goonan, Thomas G., 2016. "Byproduct metal requirements for U.S. wind and solar photovoltaic electricity generation up to the year 2040 under various Clean Power Plan scenarios," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 183(C), pages 1209-1226.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:207:y:2025:i:c:s1364032124007226. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/600126/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.