Design and Development of Chalcogenide based Superstrate Thin Film Solar Cells

Abstract

Thin film solar cells (substrate and superstrate) are promising approaches for various photovoltaic applications, which offer a wide variety of choices in terms of device design and fabrication. At the same time, for modern research development a novel, exotic, innovative and modest materials with simple manufacturing processes need to be pursued in a focussed manner. Present thesis work explores the design and development of superstrate type binary (CdTe) and quaternary (CZTS) thin film solar cells and their photovoltaic performance. Also, this thesis mainly focuses on the effect of combining two-hole transport layers in superstrate CdS/CdTe solar cells and the nanostructured (1D & 3D) metal oxides (ZnO and TiO2) as window or electron transporting layers (along with or without CdS (buffer) layer) in stoichiometry adjusted superstrate CZTS thin film solar cells. Before the fabrication of photovoltaic devices, the structural, morphological, optical and electrical properties of deposited photoanodes, absorbing layers and transporting (electron and hole) layers, using different techniques were respectively characterized.