Title :
The effects of CdCl2 on CdTe electrical properties using a new theory for grain-boundary conduction
Author :
Woods, L.M. ; Robinson, G.Y. ; Levi, D.H.
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electr. Eng., Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO, USA
Abstract :
We have further advanced the theory of in-plane electrical conduction across grain-boundaries, which now includes an analytical solution to a two-step thermally-assisted tunneling model. In addition, we have modified the one-step thermally-assisted tunneling model to approximate the effect of grain-boundary barrier height inhomogeneity. We use these models to study the effects of the vapor CdCl2 treatment on the grain-boundary electrical properties of the thin polycrystalline films, as processed for solar cells. Compared to untreated polycrystalline CdTe, we find that the vapor CdCl2 treatment increases the dark grain-boundary barrier height and near grain-boundary doping. Also, both cases show little barrier height inhomogeneity
Keywords :
II-VI semiconductors; cadmium compounds; electrical conductivity; grain boundaries; semiconductor thin films; solar cells; CdCl2; CdCl2 effects; CdTe; CdTe electrical properties; dark grain-boundary barrier height; grain-boundary barrier height inhomogeneity; grain-boundary conduction; grain-boundary electrical properties; in-plane electrical conduction across grain-boundaries; near grain-boundary doping; one-step thermally-assisted tunneling model; solar cells; thin polycrystalline films; two-step thermally-assisted tunneling model; untreated polycrystalline CdTe; vapor CdCl2 treatment; Doping; Electrical resistance measurement; Equations; Frequency; Gaussian distribution; Grain boundaries; Temperature dependence; Temperature measurement; Thermionic emission; Tunneling;
Conference_Titel :
Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 2000. Conference Record of the Twenty-Eighth IEEE
Conference_Location :
Anchorage, AK
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-5772-8
DOI :
10.1109/PVSC.2000.915914
