Efficiency improvement in thin-film solar cell devices with oxygen-containing absorber layer.

The CdTe/CdS solar cell devices were grown using a dry process consisting of sputtering for the transparent conducting oxide and CdS window layers, and close-space sublimation for CdTe absorber layer. These devices were back contacted using Mo/Sb₂Te₃ sputtered layers following the CdCl₂ activation process carried out in air. It was shown that when oxygen is intentionally introduced in the CdTe layer during its growth, this leads to a significant improvement in all the device parameters yielding an efficiency of 14% compared to 11.5% for devices fabricated in the same conditions but without intentional oxygen incorporation in CdTe. The data obtained were not altered following a light soaking. The devices were investigated by quantitative secondary ion mass spectrometry, which allowed insight into the distribution and amount of oxygen and chlorine within the entire device structure. Both impurities showed an increased concentration throughout the CdTe absorber layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]