Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Fabrication and Characterization of CdS Thin Film Synthesized by CBD Deposited from pH-Controlled Growth Solutions for Solar Cells Applications

  • Technical Article
  • Published:
Metallography, Microstructure, and Analysis Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper presents the fabrication and characterization of CdS thin film solar cells synthesized by chemical bath deposition using acid as a complexing agent with pH values between 10.1 and 11.3. We studied the influence of pH control of the reaction solution on the structural and optical properties of chemically deposited CdS thin films. Different films thicknesses of CdS were deposited onto a glass substrate. The structural surface morphology of as-deposited CdS thin films was characterized by scanning electron microscope, x-ray diffraction, profilometer, and ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy. The investigation of the effect of the synthesis method on the change the ammonium hydroxide by buffer pH 11 contributed in increases the growth kinetics, resulting thicker films. The films show high absorption and band gap values were found from 2.38 to 2.58 eV with different time deposition. The results are quite appreciable and high efficiency can be obtained from these CdS thin-film solar cells.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. A. Mondal, T.K. Chaudhuri, P. Pramanik, Deposition of cadmium chalcogenide thin films by a solution growth technique using triethanolamine as a complexing agent. Sol. Energy Mater. 7(4), 431–438 (1983)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. I. Oladeji, L. Chow, C. Ferekides, V. Viswanathan, Z. Zhao, Metal/CdTe/CdS/Cd1-xZnxS/TCO/glass: a new CdTe thin film solar cell structure. Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 61, 203–211 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. M. Contreras, M. Romero, B. To, F. Hasoon, R. Noufi, S. Ward, K. Ramanathan, Optimization of CBD CdS process in high-efficiencyCu(In, Ga)Se2-based solar cells. Thin Solid Films 403, 204–211 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. H. Khallaf, I.O. Oladeji, L. Chow, Characterization of CdS thin films grown by chemical bath deposition using four different cadmium sources. Thin Solid Films 516, 7306–7312 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. K. Sivaramamoorthy, S. Asath Bahadur, M. Kottaisamy, K.R. Murali, Properties of CdS films deposited by the electron beam evaporation technique. J. Alloys Compd. 503(1), 170–176 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. J. Aguilar-Hernández, J. Sastré-Hernández, R. Mendoza-Pérez, G. Contreras-Puente, M. Cárdenas-García, J. Ortiz-López, Photoluminescence studies of CdS thin films annealed in CdCl2 atmosphere. Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 90(6), 704–712 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. P.P. Hankarea, P.A. Chateb, D.J. Sathec, CdS thin film: synthesis and characterization. Solid State Sci. 11(7), 1226–1228 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. B.R. Sankapal, S.D. Sartalea, C.D. Lokhandeb, A. Ennaouia, Chemical synthesis of Cd-free wide band gap materials for solar cells. Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 83(4), 447–458 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. J.G. Vázquez-Luna, R.B. Lopez Flores, M. Rubin-Falfán, L.D.C. Gómez-Pavón, R. Lozada-Morales, H. Juarez-Santiesteban, O. Starostenko, O. Zelaya-Angel, O. Vigil, O. Guzmán, P. del Angel, A. González, CdS thin-films deposited by a modified chemical-bath deposition method. J. Cryst. Growth 187, 380–386 (1998)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. O. De Melo, L. Hernández, O. Zelaya-Angel, R. Lozada-Morales, M. Bercerril, E. Vasco, Low resistivity cubic phase CdS films by chemical bath deposition technique. Appl. Phys. Lett. 65, 1278 (1994)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. B. Dogil, M. Lepek, Structural effect of CdS thin films grown by a quasi-rheotaxy technique. J. Mater. Sci. Lett. 12, 1514–1515 (1993)

    Google Scholar 

  12. J.N. Ximello-Quiebrasa, G. Contreras-Puentea, J. Aguilar-Hernándeza, G. Santana-Rodriguezb, A. Arias-Carbajal Readigos, Physical properties of chemical bath deposited CdS thin films. Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 82(1–2), 263–268 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. B. Ullrich, R. Schroeder, Green single- and two-photon gap emission of thin-film CdS formed by infrared pulsed-laser deposition on glass. IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 37, 1363 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. H. Wang, Y. Zhu, P.P. Ong, Rotary target method to prepare thin films of CdS/SiO2 by pulsed laser deposition. J. Cryst. Growth 220, 554–559 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. M. Khanlary, P. Townsenda, B. Ullrich, D.E. Hole, Ion-beam luminescence of thin-film CdS on glass formed by pulsed-laser deposition. J. Appl. Phys. 97, 023512 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. M.A. Contreras, M.J. Romero, B.T.E. Hasoon, R. Noufi, S. Ward, K. Ramanathan, Optimization of CBD CdS process in high-efficiency Cu(In, Ga)Se2-based solar cells. Thin Solid Films 403, 204–211 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. T. Minemoto, T. Matsui, H. Takakura, Y. Hamakawa, T. Negami, Y. Hashimoto, T. Uenoyama, M. Kitagawa, Theoretical analysis of the effect of conduction band offset of window/CIS layers on performance of CIS solar cells using device simulation. Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 67, 83–86 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. H. Moualkia, S. Hariech, M.S. Aida, N. Attaf, E.L. Laifa, Growth and physical properties of CdS thin films prepared by chemical bath deposition. J. Phys. D Appl. Phys. 42, 135404 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. J.N. Alexander, S. Higashiya, D. Caskey, H. Efstathiadis, P. Haldar, Deposition and characterization of cadmium sulfide (CdS) by chemical bath deposition using an alternative chemistry cadmium precursor. Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 125, 47–53 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. X. He, W. Liu, C. Zhu, G. Jiang, CdS thin films deposited by CBD method on glass. Chin. J. Chem. Phys. 24(4), 471–476 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. F. Ouachtari, A. Rmili, B. Elidrissi, A. Bouaoud, H. Erguig, P. Elies, Influence of bath temperature, deposition time and S/Cd ratio on the structure, surface morphology, chemical composition and optical properties of CdS thin films elaborated by chemical bath deposition. J. Mod. Phys. 2, 1073–1082 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This project has been funded by the CONACyT-Mexico Grant CB-169062 and also it has been partially funded by PROMEP: RedesTemáticas de Colaboración under the project titled: Fuentes de Energías Alternas and by the ECEST-SEP (Espacio Común de Educación Superior Tecnológica) program under the mobility scheme for professors and students.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Renewable Energy Engineering, Universidad Tecnológica Tula-Tepeji, Avenida Universidad Tecnológica No. 1000, El Carmen, 42830, Tula de Allende, Hidalgo, Mexico

    F. Vázquez-Monroy

  2. Faculty of Science, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, Zona Universitaria, 78290, San Luis Potosi, Mexico

    A. García-Barrientos

  3. Department of Electronics, Instituto Tecnológico de Hermosillo, Av. Tecnológico y Periférico Poniente S/N, Colonia Sahuaro, 83170, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico

    J. A. Hoyo-Montaño & G. Valencia-Palomo

  4. Electronics Engineering, Research Center on Information Technology and Systems (CITIs), Autonomous University of Hidalgo State, Carretera Pachuca - Tulancingo Km. 4.5, Colonia Carboneras, 42184, Mineral de la Reforma, Hidalgo, Mexico

    H. Gómez-Pozos

  5. Department of Mechanics, Universidad Politecnica de Pachuca, Zempoala, Mexico

    Jose L. Bernal

Authors
  1. F. Vázquez-Monroy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A. García-Barrientos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. J. A. Hoyo-Montaño
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. G. Valencia-Palomo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. H. Gómez-Pozos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Jose L. Bernal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. García-Barrientos.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Vázquez-Monroy, F., García-Barrientos, A., Hoyo-Montaño, J.A. et al. Fabrication and Characterization of CdS Thin Film Synthesized by CBD Deposited from pH-Controlled Growth Solutions for Solar Cells Applications. Metallogr. Microstruct. Anal. 5, 62–68 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13632-015-0253-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13632-015-0253-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation