Single-wall carbon nanotube networks as a transparent back contact in CdTe solar cells

Abstract

Single-wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) networks form a highly transparent and electrically conductive thin film that can be used to replace traditional transparent conducting oxides (TCOs) in a variety of applications. Here, the authors demonstrate their use as a transparent back contact in a near-infrared (NIR) transparent CdTe solar cell. SWCNT networks are hole-selective conductors and have a significantly greater NIR transparency than TCOs—qualities which could both make them very useful in tandem thin-film solar cells. SWCNT networks can be incorporated into single-junction CdTe devices and in CdTe top cells for mechanically stacked thin-film tandem devices, as described here. The best device efficiency using SWCNTs in the back contact was 12.4%, with 40%–50% transmission between 800 and 1500nm.