A Comparative Study of the Thin-Film CdTe Solar Cells with ZnSe/TCO and the CdS/TCO Buffer Layers

The growth of ZnSe and CdTe thin films by close spaced sublimation is examined. The investigations show that ZnSe films deposited on glass substrates are polycrystalline and exhibit wurtzite-zinc-blende polytypism. The CdTe films grown on glass/SnO 2 /ZnSe are polycrystalline and have an f.c.c. zinc-blende structure as in the case of a glass/SnO 2 /CdS buffer layer. The electric and photovoltaic parameters of ZnSe/CdTe solar cells depend on the ZnSe film thickness. Furthermore, it is shown for the first time that the best photovoltaic parameters are achieved using a Zn buffer layer at the interface between ZnSe and CdTe.