Barrier heights on cadmium telluride schottky solar cells

Abstract

Schottky barriers on N-type cadmium telluride have been studied in view of application to solar cells. The barrier heights, as determined by the photoresponse and forward current measurements show a linear dependence upon the metal work function. Barrier heights up to 0.90 eV have been reached for Pt-CdTe contacts. Open circuit voltages up to 680 mV have been measured for such cells. Investigation of the Au-CdTe barrier immediately after the deposition of the metal (no contact with air) has shown that the barrier is formed immediately under vacuum. However, when the device is brought in contact with air, the open circuit voltage increases due to an increase of the n factor.