Assessment of photovoltaic junction position using combined focused ion beam and electron beam-induced current analysis of close space sublimation deposited CdTe solar cells

Major, Jonathan Douglas; Bowen, Leon; Treharne, Robert; Durose, Ken

Abstract

A major limitation of the cross‐section electron beam‐induced current method—the use of roughly fractured surfaces to provide the cross‐section—has been overcome with the use of focused ion beam microscope sample preparation. Using this method, it was possible to undertake a study of the relation between junction position and the corresponding external quantum efficiency (EQE) curves. For the case of cadmium telluride (CdTe) cells, it was demonstrated that the EQE curve shape that indicates a buried CdTe homojunction only arises if the junction is buried by more than 0.9 µm from the heterointerface. This highlights the limitations of interpreting EQE curve shape to determine junction position. It was also shown that extended postgrowth annealing degrades the cadmium sulfide by Kirkendall voiding, and this leads to efficiency loss.

Citation

Major, J. D., Bowen, L., Treharne, R., & Durose, K. (2014). Assessment of photovoltaic junction position using combined focused ion beam and electron beam-induced current analysis of close space sublimation deposited CdTe solar cells. Progress in Photovoltaics, 22(10), 1096-1104. https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.2507

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 31, 2014
• Online Publication Date: Jun 2, 2014
• Publication Date: Oct 1, 2014
• Deposit Date: Jun 27, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 17, 2018
• Journal: Progress in Photovoltaics
• Print ISSN: 1062-7995
• Electronic ISSN: 1099-159X
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 22
• Issue: 10
• Pages: 1096-1104
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.2507
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1327799