High jsc values on a single crystal CuInSe2/CdS/CdO cell

Several preliminary photovoltaic cells have been fabricated using cleaved substrates of p-type single crystal CuInSe₂ with the structure Au/CuInSe₂/CdS/CdO/Au, where the CdS was deposited by dipping and the CdO by DC reactive sputtering from a cadmium target. The CuInSe₂ substrates were extracted from void-free and crack-free ingots, grown by the vertical Bridgman method from stoichiometric starting proportions; the cleaved planes involved were (112) and (101). Under 100 mW/cm² of simulated solar illumination, the short circuit current density, j_sc, of these devices was found to depend on the thickness of the CdO layer and, in at least one cell, j_sc was found to exceed 40 mA/cm² and V_oc to exceed 0.4 volt for an effective CdO area of about 7 mm², without the use of an antireflection coating. These preliminary results are subject to independent confirmation