CdTe solar cells with efficiencies over 15

High efficiency CdTe/CdS thin film solar cells have been prepared on SnO2 coated borosilicate glass substrates. The CdS films are deposited by the Chemical Bath Deposition (CBD) technique from an aqueous solution containing cadmium acetate, ammonium acetate, ammonia and thiourea in the temperature range of 80–90°C. The CdTe films are deposited by the Close Spaced Sublimation (CSS) technique from CdTe powder of 99.999% purity. Doped graphite paste is used as the ohmic contact to the CdTe and indium is used as the contact to the SnO2. Conversion efficiencies of over 15% have been achieved as a result of optimization of a number of processing steps.

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