Substrate based CdTe solar cells fabricated on metallic foils: Device, material, and processing issues Conference

Palekis, V, Guntur, V, Hodges, D et al. (2011). Substrate based CdTe solar cells fabricated on metallic foils: Device, material, and processing issues . 35TH IEEE PHOTOVOLTAIC SPECIALISTS CONFERENCE, 002779-002783. 10.1109/PVSC.2011.6186523

cited authors

  • Palekis, V; Guntur, V; Hodges, D; Morel, D; Stefanakos, E; Ferekides, C

authors

abstract

  • Substrate CdTe cells are uncommon due to the difficulty in forming effective contacts to p-type CdTe. The development of such solar cells could further increase the applications and enhance the product characteristics of the lowest cost thin film PV technology, by making lightweight and flexible products possible. This paper reviews the current status of the development of substrate CdTe solar cells on flexible metallic substrates. The influence of substrate impurities, the effect of impurity barrier layers, the effect of heat treatments, and the use of various compounds as back contacts are among the topics to be discussed. Presently the efficiency of foil/CdTe-type solar cells is in the 6.5% range. The performance is limited by low V OC's (<700 mV) and the fact that the p-type contact to CdTe is rectifying leading to poor FFs. © 2011 IEEE.

publication date

  • December 1, 2011

published in

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

start page

  • 002779

end page

  • 002783