IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices · 1977 · 45 citations · 0 references
EngineeringMaterials EngineeringMaterials ScienceSemiconductor DevicesSemiconductor MaterialsThin FilmsPhotovoltaic DevicesPhotovoltaic MaterialsSemiconductor InterfacesSemiconductor Thin FilmsSolar Cell MaterialsSolar CellsPolycrystalline Semiconductor FilmsPolycrystalline SemiconductorsSemiconductor CharacterizationSolar Cell CharacterizationThin-film SemiconductorsThin-film Solar Cells
We report single crystal InP-CdS solar cells having AM2 efficiencies of 15 percent and polycrystalline thin-film cells having AM2 efficiencies of 5.7 percent. Basic studies of the interface reveal that the thin-film efficiency is presently limited at least in part by the quality of the InP within the grains, and not exclusively by interface phenomena intrinsic to a polycrystalline cell. Preliminary accelerated life tests indicate a remarkable insensitivity of these unencapsulated cells to the ambient.