Fabrication procedures and process sensitivities for CdS/CdTe solar cells

This paper details the laboratory processes used to fabricate CdS/CdTe sola r cells at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. The basic fabrication technique includes low-pressure chemical vapor deposited SnO2, chemical-bat h deposited CdS, close-spaced sublimated CdTe, solution-CdCl2 treatment, an d an acid-contact etch, followed by application of a doped-graphite paste. This paper also describes the results of a reproducibility study in which c ells were produced by multiple operators with an aver age AM1-5 efficiency of 12.6%. And finally, this paper discusses process sensitivities and alter native cell fabrication procedures and reports fabrication of a cell with a n AM1-5 efficiency of 15.4%. Copyright (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.