Graduation Year

2005

Document Type

Thesis

Degree

M.S.E.E.

Degree Granting Department

Electrical Engineering

Major Professor

Christos S. Ferekides, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Don L. Morel Ph.D.

Committee Member

Yun L. Chiou Ph.D.

Keywords

Voc, Jsc, Spectral response, Energy band, Schottky contact

Abstract

Thin Film CdS/CdTe Solar cells have been an attrative alternative to silicon solar cells because of their low cost. Numerical Modeliong using using various tools pertinent only to solar cells have been employed to study the device properties. In this work a powerful device simulation tool MEDICI is used to develop a quantitative device model. The model is modified to accommodate a glass layer and an AM1.5 spectrum is used as the simlation of light source. Analysis of the response of solar cell J-V parameters like voc and Jsc to changes in acceptor concentration, CdTe thickness and changes in the work function of the back contact under intrinsic conditions were done. Trap levels were then added in the midgap regionof the device and the earlier variations were comprehensively studied to establish the trap parameters. Further this model was extended to perform the C-V analysis of the device. Finally two cases were analysed having their energy band profile as the baseline to fix their corresponding J-V responses. The anamolous behaviour of the J-V curves namely the rollover and crossover effects were noted in detail.

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