Effects of post-CdCl/sub 2/ treatment and pre-Cd treatment on the performance and stability of CdTe cells

Post CdCl/sub 2/ heat treatment affected initial photovoltaic property and stability of CdTe cell. The cell efficiency was improved as CdCl/sub 2/ heat treatment time increased but that was reduced with 45 min heat treatment. The CdTe cell with non-heat treatment was degraded severely during aging for 3500 h and was recovered by the reverse bias. But the CdTe cells with 30 min and 45 min heat treatment were not degraded relatively regardless of initial efficiency and were not recovered by the reverse bias. It might be due to the reduction of the Cd vacancy in CdTe layer. Pre Cd treatment on CdS film by electrochemical method restricted inter-diffusion of S and Te at the CdS/CdTe interface. And it improved morphology of CdS-CdTe interface so the efficiency increased by the increase of J/sub SC/.