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Monocrystalline CdTe solar cells with open-circuit voltage over 1 V and efficiency of 17%

Author

Listed:
  • Yuan Zhao

    (Center for Photonics Innovation
    School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering)

  • Mathieu Boccard

    (School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering)

  • Shi Liu

    (Center for Photonics Innovation
    School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering)

  • Jacob Becker

    (Center for Photonics Innovation
    School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering)

  • Xin-Hao Zhao

    (Center for Photonics Innovation
    School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy)

  • Calli M. Campbell

    (Center for Photonics Innovation
    School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy)

  • Ernesto Suarez

    (Center for Photonics Innovation
    School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering)

  • Maxwell B. Lassise

    (Center for Photonics Innovation
    School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering)

  • Zachary Holman

    (School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering)

  • Yong-Hang Zhang

    (Center for Photonics Innovation
    School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering)

Abstract

The open-circuit voltages of mature single-junction photovoltaic devices are lower than the bandgap energy of the absorber, typically by a gap of 400 mV. For CdTe, which has a bandgap of 1.5 eV, the gap is larger; for polycrystalline samples, the open-circuit voltage of solar cells with the record efficiency is below 900 mV, whereas for monocrystalline samples it has only recently achieved values barely above 1 V. Here, we report a monocrystalline CdTe/MgCdTe double-heterostructure solar cell with open-circuit voltages of up to 1.096 V. The latticed-matched MgCdTe barrier layers provide excellent passivation to the CdTe absorber, resulting in a carrier lifetime of 3.6 μs. The solar cells are made of 1- to 1.5-μm-thick n-type CdTe absorbers, and passivated hole-selective p-type a-SiCy:H contacts. This design allows CdTe solar cells to be made thinner and more efficient. The best power conversion efficiency achieved in a device with this structure is 17.0%.

Suggested Citation

  • Yuan Zhao & Mathieu Boccard & Shi Liu & Jacob Becker & Xin-Hao Zhao & Calli M. Campbell & Ernesto Suarez & Maxwell B. Lassise & Zachary Holman & Yong-Hang Zhang, 2016. "Monocrystalline CdTe solar cells with open-circuit voltage over 1 V and efficiency of 17%," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 1(6), pages 1-7, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natene:v:1:y:2016:i:6:d:10.1038_nenergy.2016.67
    DOI: 10.1038/nenergy.2016.67
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    Cited by:

    1. Mohamed Hssan Hassan Abdelhafez & Mabrouk Touahmia & Emad Noaime & Ghazy Abdullah Albaqawy & Khaled Elkhayat & Belkacem Achour & Mustapha Boukendakdji, 2021. "Integrating Solar Photovoltaics in Residential Buildings: Towards Zero Energy Buildings in Hail City, KSA," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-19, February.
    2. Jianjun Li & Jialiang Huang & Fajun Ma & Heng Sun & Jialin Cong & Karen Privat & Richard F. Webster & Soshan Cheong & Yin Yao & Robert Lee Chin & Xiaojie Yuan & Mingrui He & Kaiwen Sun & Hui Li & Yaoh, 2022. "Unveiling microscopic carrier loss mechanisms in 12% efficient Cu2ZnSnSe4 solar cells," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 7(8), pages 754-764, August.

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