Solution-Grown Cadmium Sulfide Films for Photovoltaic Devices.

This paper reports on thin films of cadmium sulfide (CdS) which have major applications in optoelectronic devices. Several techniques have been developed for the deposition of CdS films. Among these, growth of CdS films from an aqueous solution is the low-cost technique suitable for many applications. In this work, the deposition of device quality CdS films on glass and SnO[sub 2]:F/glass substrates from an aqueous solution containing cadmium acetate, ammonia, ammonium acetate, and thiourea has been investigated. The structural and electrical properties of CdS films have been characterized. The doping of CdS films with boron and the properties of boron-doped CdS films have also been studied. High efficiency thin film CdS/CdTe solar cells have been prepared from solution-grown CdS films.