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Presentation Details
| Effects of CdCl2 Annealing on Cadmium Selenide Solar Cells� Sheikh T Elahi1, Wei Wang 2, Zahangir Alom3, Vaselis Palekis4, Chris Ferekides 5. 11, TAMPA, FL, USA.22, TAMPA, FL, USA.33, TAMPA, FL, USA.44, TAMPA, FL, USA.55, TAMPA, FL, USA |
Abstract
Abstract — Cadmium selenide (CdSe) is an attractive wide-bandgap II–VI absorber for thin-film photovoltaic applications; however, device performance remains limited by processing sensitivity and junction quality. In this work, the effects of CdCl₂ heat-treatment temperature and duration on CdSe thin-film solar cells were systematically investigated. CdSe absorbers were deposited by close-spaced sublimation and subjected to CdCl₂ annealing over a temperature range of 390–500 °C for 30 to 90 minutes. Morphological evolution was examined using scanning electron microscopy, while device performance was evaluated through illuminated current–voltage and spectral response measurements. CdCl₂ heat treatment promoted grain growth and recrystallization; however, electrical performance exhibited a strong dependence on the annealing conditions. Moderate annealing temperatures and shorter durations yielded improved photocurrent and device behavior, whereas higher temperatures or extended annealing resulted in degraded performance, consistent with increased recombination and interface deterioration. Additional studies employing CuSCN as the p-type contact layer demonstrated that surface preparation, contact thickness, and absorber thickness strongly influence carrier collection. The best device performance was obtained using a 30 s nitric-phosphoric acid etch, three CuSCN spin-coating cycles followed by annealing at 150 °C, and a CdSe thickness of approximately 4 μm, yielding a VOC of 330 mV, FF of 56.9%, and JSC of 10.7 mA/cm². These results demonstrate that successful CdSe solar-cell fabrication requires optimization of both absorber processing and interface engineering. The findings provide practical guidance for improving CdSe-based thin-film photovoltaic devices.
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No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author.