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Solar Cell Contacts Using Nano-Sized Dispersions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 February 2011

Doug Schulz
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, USA80401-3393
R. Ribelin
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, USA80401-3393
X. Wu
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, USA80401-3393
K.M. Jones
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, USA80401-3393
R.J. Matson
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, USA80401-3393
C.J. Curtis
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, USA80401-3393
T. Gessert
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, USA80401-3393
D.S. Ginley
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, USA80401-3393
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Abstract

Nano-sized dispersions have been employed as precursor inks for the spray deposition of contacts to both Si and CdTe materials. In the case of Si, nano-sized Al particles (nano-Al) were dispersed and spray deposited onto p-type Si. Annealing above the eutectic temperature causes alloy formation yielding a p+ layer with p ∼ 10−4 Ω•cm. For CdTe, nano-sized Te particles (nano-Te) were dispersed and sprayed onto CdTe/CdS/SnO2/glass heterostructures. Contact to the CdTe layer occurred during a 30 min anneal in He (T = 215 to 255 °C). These solar cells were finished by spin-coating the Te layer with Ag paint and subsequently annealing in air (100 °C / 1 h). This approach produces solar cells with open circuit voltages (Voc) from 720 to 800 mV, short circuit current densities (Jsc) from 18 to 20 mA/cm2 and efficiencies up to 10.3%. The performance of these cells was similar to those produced using the standard NREL contact.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2000

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References

REFERENCES

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