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Phase control is important to obtain high-performance CdTe solar cells when copper telluride is used as a back-contact for CdTe solar cells. In this paper single-phase CuTe was mainly controlled by the Cu/Te ratio via a co-evaporation method in combination with rapid thermal processing treatments. The alloy thin films as-deposited were mainly amorphous. After thermal treatments, the films experienced the phase transformation from mixed phases of CuTe and Cu 1.4 Te to single phase CuTe and then to coexisting phases. Single phase CuTe thin films were p-type semiconductor compounds and had a high carrier concentration, ∼10 21 cm −3 . With the copper telluride buffer layer, device performance than those without the buffer layer has been obtained. Moreover, single-phase orthorhombic CuTe contact buffer layer obviously improved diode characteristics and enhanced the device performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Vanadium diselenide thin films were prepared by electron beam evaporation. The properties of vanadium diselenide thin films were investigated using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, transmission spectra, electrical and Hall measurements. To further investigate the application of vanadium diselenide thin films, device performance in CdTe solar cells with a vanadium diselenide layer was also studied. The results indicate that vanadium diselenide thin films had a stable hexagonal structure after annealing. The thin films were p-type semiconductor materials with the high work function and high carrier concentration. Vanadium diselenide thin films could form a good ohmic contact to CdTe solar cells. Thus, cell performance was greatly improved when introduced a vanadium diselenide buffer layer. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]