Photovoltaic Technology - CdTe Thin Film PV

CdTe thin film PV is one of the main thin film PV technologies being commercialized. CdTe has the advantage of a direct bandgap which matches well with the solar spectrum, a high absorption coefficient, the ability to be doped both n-type and p-type, and processes that can work for low cost, large scale manufacturing.

The main areas for improvement of CdTe thin film PV are the cell and module efficiencies. Materials characterization using surface analysis methods can be used to support R&D of efficiency improvements.

The schematic of the CdTe Thin Film PV device structure (below) illustrates some of the ways surface analysis can help. Please move your mouse over the boxes below for more information or click here and download the application discussion.

Additional Information

• CdTe Application Discussion
• Element Determinations in Photovoltaic (PV) Grade CdTe/CdS Powders AN454
• SIMS Detection Limits of Selected Elements in HgCdTe Under Normal Depth Profiling Conditions AN338
• Glow Discharge Mass Spectrometry (GDMS) Technique Note TN102
• Time-of-Flight SIMS (TOF-SIMS) Technique Note TN104
• X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) Technique Note TN100
• Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES) Technique Note TN101
• Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) Technique Note TN103
• Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM) Technique Note TN110
• Analysis of Contaminants by DHS/GC/MS AN385
• Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (EELS) Characterization of an Ultra-thin Multilayer Film AN450
• Identification of Interface Contamination Using Field Emission Auger Electron Spectroscopy (FE-AES) AN445
• Organic Contamination on Surfaces AN378
• Physical and Chemical Characterization of Multi-layer Thin Films AN353
• Characterization of Surface Contamination BN1365