Nitric-phosphoric acid etching effects on the surface chemical composition of CdTe thin film

Irfan; Wei Xia; Hao Lin; Huanjun Ding; Ching W. Tang; Yongli Gao

doi:10.1016/j.tsf.2011.08.113

Nitric-phosphoric acid etching effects on the surface chemical composition of CdTe thin film

Irfan^*, Wei Xia, Hao Lin, Huanjun Ding, Ching W. Tang, Yongli Gao

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal Article › peer-review

7 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Nitric-phosphoric (NP) acid etching has been regarded as one of the most effective methods for the formation of low resistance back contact with the metal electrode in CdTe based photovoltaic cells. We studied CdTe back surfaces and the changes with time of exposure to NP acid with x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and atomic force microscopy. Strong etching dependence on the back surface chemical composition, and surface roughness, was observed. In order to study the effect of the NP acid etching on surface degradation, the sample was left in open ambient condition for three weeks and XPS measurement in combination with ion sputtering was performed on unetched and highly etched parts. The difference in depth profiles of the NP acid etched and unetched CdTe surface has been discussed.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1988-1992
Number of pages	5
Journal	Thin Solid Films
Volume	520
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsf.2011.08.113
Publication status	Published - 1 Jan 2012
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Atomic force microscopy
Cadmium telluride
Depth profiling
Ion sputtering
Thin films
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1016/j.tsf.2011.08.113

Cite this

@article{f8febbe9a52c4f13bb2d30af9c3ab5fc,

title = "Nitric-phosphoric acid etching effects on the surface chemical composition of CdTe thin film",

abstract = "Nitric-phosphoric (NP) acid etching has been regarded as one of the most effective methods for the formation of low resistance back contact with the metal electrode in CdTe based photovoltaic cells. We studied CdTe back surfaces and the changes with time of exposure to NP acid with x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and atomic force microscopy. Strong etching dependence on the back surface chemical composition, and surface roughness, was observed. In order to study the effect of the NP acid etching on surface degradation, the sample was left in open ambient condition for three weeks and XPS measurement in combination with ion sputtering was performed on unetched and highly etched parts. The difference in depth profiles of the NP acid etched and unetched CdTe surface has been discussed.",

keywords = "Atomic force microscopy, Cadmium telluride, Depth profiling, Ion sputtering, Thin films, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy",

author = "Irfan and Wei Xia and Hao Lin and Huanjun Ding and Tang, \{Ching W.\} and Yongli Gao",

year = "2012",

month = jan,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1016/j.tsf.2011.08.113",

language = "English",

volume = "520",

pages = "1988--1992",

journal = "Thin Solid Films",

issn = "0040-6090",

publisher = "Elsevier B.V.",

number = "6",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Nitric-phosphoric acid etching effects on the surface chemical composition of CdTe thin film

AU - Irfan,

AU - Xia, Wei

AU - Lin, Hao

AU - Ding, Huanjun

AU - Tang, Ching W.

AU - Gao, Yongli

PY - 2012/1/1

Y1 - 2012/1/1

N2 - Nitric-phosphoric (NP) acid etching has been regarded as one of the most effective methods for the formation of low resistance back contact with the metal electrode in CdTe based photovoltaic cells. We studied CdTe back surfaces and the changes with time of exposure to NP acid with x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and atomic force microscopy. Strong etching dependence on the back surface chemical composition, and surface roughness, was observed. In order to study the effect of the NP acid etching on surface degradation, the sample was left in open ambient condition for three weeks and XPS measurement in combination with ion sputtering was performed on unetched and highly etched parts. The difference in depth profiles of the NP acid etched and unetched CdTe surface has been discussed.

AB - Nitric-phosphoric (NP) acid etching has been regarded as one of the most effective methods for the formation of low resistance back contact with the metal electrode in CdTe based photovoltaic cells. We studied CdTe back surfaces and the changes with time of exposure to NP acid with x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and atomic force microscopy. Strong etching dependence on the back surface chemical composition, and surface roughness, was observed. In order to study the effect of the NP acid etching on surface degradation, the sample was left in open ambient condition for three weeks and XPS measurement in combination with ion sputtering was performed on unetched and highly etched parts. The difference in depth profiles of the NP acid etched and unetched CdTe surface has been discussed.

KW - Atomic force microscopy

KW - Cadmium telluride

KW - Depth profiling

KW - Ion sputtering

KW - Thin films

KW - X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

UR - https://www.webofscience.com/wos/woscc/full-record/WOS:000300459200057

UR - https://openalex.org/W1968957888

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84855975584

U2 - 10.1016/j.tsf.2011.08.113

DO - 10.1016/j.tsf.2011.08.113

M3 - Journal Article

SN - 0040-6090

VL - 520

SP - 1988

EP - 1992

JO - Thin Solid Films

JF - Thin Solid Films

IS - 6

ER -

Nitric-phosphoric acid etching effects on the surface chemical composition of CdTe thin film

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this