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At least 235 records · Page 13

Colossal grain growth in Cd(Se,Te) thin films and their subsequent use in CdTe epitaxy by close-spaced sublimation

Many technologies deposit thin films on inexpensive substrates, resulting in small grains due to classic nucleation and grain growth theory. For example, state-of-the-art solar cells are made by depositing CdSeTe and CdTe layers on inexpensive glass coated with nanocrystalline transparent conducting oxides (TCOs), like SnO 2 . Characteristically, the grain size of these films is on the order of the film thickness, i.e. a few microns. CdTe small-grain films have poor electro-optical properties and require CdCl 2 passivation which fails to fully passivate grain boundaries, causes carrier compensation, and prevents implementing other II–VI alloys and materials to improve performance. Here, we present a method to increase grain size to 1 mm in CdSe x Te 1-x thin films deposited on glass/TCO substrates without CdCl 2 treatment. The colossal grain growth is driven by mechanisms distinct from classic nucleation, grain growth, and Ostwald ripening and only occurs at low selenium content (x ~ 0.1). We also demonstrate how these films can serve as templates for subsequent large-grain epitaxy of other compositions like CdTe, again without exposure to CdCl 2 . The results open new paths for thin film solar cell technology, and thin film devices in general.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Charge Transport and Space-Charge Formation in Cd 1 - x Zn x Te 1 - y Se y Radiation Detectors

The electron- and hole-transport properties in cadmium zinc telluride selenide (CZTS) crystals are studied using a laser-induced transient-current technique with pulsed and dc bias. The internal electric field profile and velocity of surface recombination are determined by Monte Carlo simulations of electron and hole transient currents combined with a numerical solution of the drift-diffusion equation coupled with Poisson’s equation. Electron and hole drift mobilities of μe = 830 cm 2 /Vs and μh = 40 cm 2 /Vs, respectively, are determined. We also develop a simple technique for evaluating surface recombination directly from measured current waveforms without the need for numerical simulation. The good quality of the prepared detector at pulsed bias, with electron- and hole-mobility-lifetime products of (μτ)e = 1.9 × 10 -3 cm 2 /V and (μτ)h = 1.4 × 10 -4 cm 2 /V, respectively, are observed. The formation of a positive space charge, originating from hole injection combined with a recombination level, is found. We observe a significant position dependence of the lifetime of electrons and holes in dc bias due to hole injection. The experiment is successfully fitted by a simple model dominated by a single deep recombination level with an energy of E t =E C -0.73eV; concentration of 7.3 × 10 11 cm -3 ; and electron- and hole-capture cross sections of 3.5 × 10 -14 cm 2 and 6.5 × 10 -14 cm 2 , respectively.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Stimulated Rayleigh Scattering Enhanced by a Longitudinal Plasma Mode in a Periodically Driven Dirac Semimetal Cd 3 As 2

Using broadband (12–45 THz) multi-terahertz spectroscopy, we show that stimulated Rayleigh scattering dominates the transient optical conductivity of cadmium arsenide, a Dirac semimetal, under an optical driving field at 30 THz. Here, the characteristic dispersive line shape with net optical gain is accounted for by optical transitions between light-induced Floquet subbands, strikingly enhanced by the longitudinal plasma mode. Stimulated Rayleigh scattering with an unprecedentedly large refractive index change may pave the way for slow light generation in conductive solids at room temperature.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Development of High-Quality, Very Large-Grained Cd(Se,Te) Thin Films for CdTe Solar Modules (Final Technical Report)

TCF-21-25048 is a one-year project to quantify the potential attributes of recent NREL inventions where CdTe devices with grain sizes exceeding 100's of microns in lateral dimension can be fabricated using a novel seeded-epitaxial process. A CdSe0.1Te0.9 film is evaporated on commercially available transparent conducting oxide (TCO) where the latter surface roughness (Ra) has been reduced to < 1-nm. After NREL's colossal grain growth (CGG) process, the grain size of this "seed" layer is increased to 100-1000 um. CdTe is then deposited epitaxially resulting in a large-grain CdTe device structure without use of CdCl2. As of this report, we have: Demonstrated the feasibility of using Tec-15 substrates after surface roughness (Ra) reduction (nexTC); Developed reproducible CGG processes for this commercially available substrate; Developed a close-spaced sublimation (CSS) process for CdTe epitaxy using these substrates; Demonstrated that large-grain CdTe films have less sub-band (band tail) absorption than conventional, small-grain CdTe; Demonstrated that large-grain CdTe films (no CdCl2) have carrier lifetimes up to 1.5 ns; Demonstrated that carrier lifetimes in epi-CdTe films (no CdCl2) have comparable lifetimes when compared to the best pX-CdTe films (FSLR) treated with CdCl2; Started making large-grain CdTe devices using CGG templates and epitaxially deposited CdTe.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Spallation Neutron Source Proton Power Upgrade (PPU) Project: Lessons Learned for CD-4

The SNS PPU project goals were to design, build, install and test the equipment necessary to double the accelerator power from 1.4 MW to 2.8 MW and to deliver a 2.0 MW qualified target. PPU also included the provision of a stub-out in the SNS accumulator-ring-to-target tunnel to facilitate a rapid connection to a new proton beamline for the Second Target Station (STS) project. The power capability was doubled by increasing the proton beam energy by 33% and the peak beam current by 50%, relative to pre-PPU accelerator performance. The project also included modifications to some buildings and services. The PPU project accomplished the energy upgrade by fabricating and installing new superconducting radiofrequency (RF) cryomodules, with supporting RF equipment, in the existing linac tunnel and klystron gallery, respectively. The High Voltage Converter Modulators (HVCM) and klystrons for some of the existing installed RF equipment were upgraded to handle the higher beam current. The increased beam power of 2 MW on the First Target Station (FTS) was enabled by the addition of a new high-volume gas injection system for pressure pulse and cavitation mitigation in the mercury target and a redesigned mercury target vessel.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗