FEASIBILITY INVESTIGATION OF CHEMICALLY SPRAYED THIN FILM PHOTOVOLTAIC CONVERTERS
Abstract
The objectives were (1) to demonstrate the feasibility of fabricating a thin film photo voltaic converter using a chemical spray process for the deposition of the active elements and (2) to fabricate for delivery six experimental cells, four using CdS and two using CdSe as the n-type semiconducting layer. Research has shown the feasibility of fabricating photovoltaic converters using thin films of cadmium and copper sulfide (.6 micron and .05 micron respectively) and has shown that the deposition process used is applicable to large area, multiple layer (CdS CdSe-Cu2S) configurations, solid solution (Cd(S,Se)-Cu2S) cells, and continuous line production. This research has also shown that a heterogeneous junction photovoltaic converter can be formed using CdS and Cu2S. Six (4 CdS and 2 CdSe) cells of 16 sq in area were fabricated for delivery. The four CdS cells had an average efficiency of .2% and the two CdSe cells had an average efficiency of less than .01%. The efficiencies of the four inch square cells do not indicate the potential of the chemical spray process since CdS cells of one square inch were made with 1.2% efficiency and CdS cells of one square centimeter were made with 3.5% efficiency. All of these cells were of the back wall (incident irradiation travels through the substrate) configuration using one eighth inch hard glass as the substrate.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1963
- Accession Number
- AD0403053
Entities
People
- D. E. Koopman
- J. S. Skarman
- L. E. Blakely
- R. R. Chamberlin
Organizations
- NCR Corporation