Ultra-thin electrodeposited CdS/CdTe heterojunction with 8% efficiency

Recent results in electrodeposited CdS/p-CdTe heterojunction solar cell research are presented. Correlation of the important solar cell parameters with the electronic properties of the p-CdTe layer is studied. Small grained electrodeposited p-CdTe films are shown to have diffusion lengths comparable to the single crystal material. Small area (0.02 cm/sup 2/) solar cells with efficiencies in excess of 8% are produced. Medium size cells of 4.2 cm/sup 2/ area are fabricated with active area efficiencies close to 7%.