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20%-efficient polycrystalline Cd(Se,Te) thin-film solar cells with compositional gradient near the front junction

Author

Listed:
  • Deng-Bing Li

    (University of Toledo)

  • Sandip S. Bista

    (University of Toledo)

  • Rasha A. Awni

    (University of Toledo)

  • Sabin Neupane

    (University of Toledo)

  • Abasi Abudulimu

    (University of Toledo)

  • Xiaoming Wang

    (University of Toledo)

  • Kamala K. Subedi

    (University of Toledo)

  • Manoj K. Jamarkattel

    (University of Toledo)

  • Adam B. Phillips

    (University of Toledo)

  • Michael J. Heben

    (University of Toledo)

  • Jonathan D. Poplawsky

    (Oak Ridge National Laboratory)

  • David A. Cullen

    (Oak Ridge National Laboratory)

  • Randy J. Ellingson

    (University of Toledo)

  • Yanfa Yan

    (University of Toledo)

Abstract

Bandgap gradient is a proven approach for improving the open-circuit voltages (VOCs) in Cu(In,Ga)Se2 and Cu(Zn,Sn)Se2 thin-film solar cells, but has not been realized in Cd(Se,Te) thin-film solar cells, a leading thin-film solar cell technology in the photovoltaic market. Here, we demonstrate the realization of a bandgap gradient in Cd(Se,Te) thin-film solar cells by introducing a Cd(O,S,Se,Te) region with the same crystal structure of the absorber near the front junction. The formation of such a region is enabled by incorporating oxygenated CdS and CdSe layers. We show that the introduction of the bandgap gradient reduces the hole density in the front junction region and introduces a small spike in the band alignment between this and the absorber regions, effectively suppressing the nonradiative recombination therein and leading to improved VOCs in Cd(Se,Te) solar cells using commercial SnO2 buffers. A champion device achieves an efficiency of 20.03% with a VOC of 0.863 V.

Suggested Citation

  • 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.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-35442-8
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35442-8
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Arthur Onno & Carey Reich & Siming Li & Adam Danielson & William Weigand & Alexandra Bothwell & Sachit Grover & Jeff Bailey & Gang Xiong & Darius Kuciauskas & Walajabad Sampath & Zachary C. Holman, 2022. "Understanding what limits the voltage of polycrystalline CdSeTe solar cells," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 7(5), pages 400-408, May.
    2. Yuancai Gong & Qiang Zhu & Bingyan Li & Shanshan Wang & Biwen Duan & Licheng Lou & Chunxu Xiang & Erin Jedlicka & Rajiv Giridharagopal & Yage Zhou & Qi Dai & Weibo Yan & Shiyou Chen & Qingbo Meng & Ha, 2022. "Elemental de-mixing-induced epitaxial kesterite/CdS interface enabling 13%-efficiency kesterite solar cells," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 7(10), pages 966-977, October.
    3. Alessandro Romeo & Elisa Artegiani, 2021. "CdTe-Based Thin Film Solar Cells: Past, Present and Future," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-24, March.
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