Study of thin film poly-crystalline CdTe solar cells presenting high acceptor concentrations achieved by in-situ arsenic doping

Giray Kartopu, O Oklobia, D. Turkay, D. R. Diercks, B. P. Gorman, Vincent Barrioz, Stephen Campbell, Jonathan D. Major, M. K. Al Turkestani, S. Yerci, T. M. Barnes, Neil Beattie, Guillaume Zoppi, Stephen Jones, Stuart J C Irvine

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

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Abstract

Doping of CdTe using Group-V elements (As, P, and Sb) has gained interest in pursuit of increasing the cell voltage of CdTe thin film solar devices. Studies on bulk CdTe crystals have shown that much higher acceptor concentration than the traditional copper treatment is possible with As, P or Sb, enabled by high process temperature and/or rapid thermal quenching under Cd overpressure. We report a comprehensive study on in-situ As doping of poly-crystalline CdTe solar cells by MOCVD, whereby high acceptor densities, approaching 3 × 1016 cm−3 were achieved at low growth temperature of 390 °C. No As segregation could be detected at grain boundaries, even for 1019 As cm−3. A shallow acceptor level (+0.1 eV) due to AsTe substitutional doping and deep-level defects were observed at elevated As concentrations. Devices with variable As doping were analysed. Narrowing of the depletion layer, enhancement of bulk recombination, and reduction in device current and red response, albeit a small near infrared gain due to optical gap reduction, were observed at high concentrations. Device modelling indicated that the properties of the n-type window layer and associated interfacial recombination velocity are highly critical when the absorber doping is relatively high, demonstrating a route for obtaining high cell voltage.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)259-267
Number of pages9
JournalSolar Energy Materials and Solar Cells
Volume194
Early online date26 Feb 2019
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jun 2019

Keywords

  • CdTe
  • Group-V
  • Doping
  • Thin film
  • photovoltaic
  • MOCVD

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