Thin Metal Oxide Films to Modify a Window Layer in CdTe-Based Solar Cells for Improved Performance
We report on CdS/CdTe photovoltaic devices that contain a thin Ta₂O₅ film deposited onto the CdS window layer by sputtering. We show that for thicknesses below 5 nm, Ta₂O₅ films between CdS and CdTe positively affect the solar cell performance, improving JSC, VOC, and the cell power conversion efficiency despite the insulating nature of the interlayer material. Using the Ta₂O₅ interlayer, a VOC gain of over 100 mV was demonstrated compared to a CdTe/CdS baseline. Application of a 1nm Ta₂O₅ interlayer enabled the fabrication of CdTe solar cells with extremely thin (less than 30 nm) CdS window layers. The efficiency of these cells exceeded that of a base line cell with 95 nm of CdS.