Chemistry
Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://repository.kln.ac.lk/handle/123456789/3748
Browse
2 results
Search Results
Item THE EFFECT OF CONCENTRATION AND PH OF CdC12 SOLUTION USED IN CdC12 TREATMENT ON THE PROPERTIES OF CdS THIN FILMS(Solar Asia 2018 Int. Conf. National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Kandy, Sri Lanka., 2018) Atapattu, I I.Y.R.; De Silva, D.S.M.; Pathiratne, K.A.S.; Dharmadasa, I.M.Among the post deposition treatments available for development of CdS/CdTe solar cells, CdCl2 treatment has been identified as one of the key processing steps that can be effectively used for improving power conversion efficiency of the CdS/CdTe solar cell. This method was identified in late 1970s and currently is used for the CdS layers as well. The present study focuses on the effect of the concentration and pH of the CdCl2 solution used for the CdCl2 treatment on the quality of CdS layers based on their electrical, optical and morphological properties. In this study, CdS layers were potentiostatically electrodeposited on glass/FTO substrates at cathodic deposition potential of 660 mV verses a saturated calomel electrode at pH of 1.80 for 30 minutes in electrolytic baths containing 0.10 mol/L CdCl2 and 0.01 mol/L Na2S2O3. The temperature and the stirring rate of electrolytic baths were maintained constant at 55 °C and 60 rpm respectively. After the depositions, the samples were rinsed in de-ionized water and dried under a high purity N2 gas flow and conveyed for the CdCl2 treatment. Nine sets of samples with two replicates in each were treated separately with aqueous CdCl2 solutions having concentrations of 1.0, 0.5 and 0.1 mol/L and for each concentration three different pH values; as-prepared (5.60, 6.30 and 7.10 respectively), 2.00 and 6.50 were used. To perform the treatment, CdCl2 solutions were sprayed for 1 minute on the CdS layer until the layers were fully covered by the solution, allowed to dry and the samples were transferred for the process of annealing at 400 °C for 15 minutes in air. Subsequently, samples were rinsed in de-ionized water and dried under a high purity N2 gas flow. The electrical, optical and morphological properties of the CdS layers were then studied using photo-electrochemical cell measurements, UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy respectively. As results revealed, the CdCl2 solution with the concentration of 1.0 mol/L and the pH of 2.00 is suitable for achieving good material properties in the CdS layers.Item Is it possible to grow stable p-type CdS layers suitable for fabrication of electronic devices?(University of Malaya, Malaysia, 2013) Kiriarachchi, H.D.; Lamahewage, L.H.S.N.S.; Wickramasinghe, W.A.S.; de Silva, D.S.M.; Pathiratne, K.A.S.; Dharmadasa, I.M.CdS is a technologically important wide bandgap window material with some unique properties showing highest conversion efficiencies in thin film solar cells based on CdTe and CuInGaSe2 absorber materials. n-CdS/CdTe and n-CdS/CuInGaSe2 hetero-interfaces based solar cells have demonstrated 18.7% and 20.3% lab-scale solar cell efficiencies to date. Both these devices are fabricated based on n-type CdS window material. Recent work on graded bandgap devices using p-type AlGaAs window materials experimentally demonstrated highest Voc values of 1175 mV together with highest possible FF values ~0.85, and therefore if p-CdS can be grown, it provides another route to improve solar cell efficiencies and open doors for many other electronic devices. There are several attempts to grow Cu-doped p-CdS in the literature but the follow-up research work or devices based on p-CdS are scarce. In this research programme of solar energy materials development, using electrochemical growth method, p-type CdS was observed for certain layers. However, the stability of p-type CdS is found to be weak and these results are presented and discussed in this paper.