ELECTRODEPOSITED DOPED II-VI SEMICONDUCTOR FILMS AND DEVICES INCORPORATING SUCH FILMS

摘要

A method of electrodepositing a doped compound semiconductor film (43) including tellurium and a metal selected from Group IIB of the Period Table of Elements by adding an effective concentration of dopant ions to the electrolyte bath. Cadmium telluride, mercury cadmium telluride and zinc cadmium telluride may be doped with copper, silver and gold. The conductivity type of the electrodeposited doped layers may be changed by a heat treatment. Thin film photovoltaic cells incorporating the doped layer to form a heterojunction with semiconductor layer (42) of the opposite conductivity type show substantial improvements in open circuit voltage, fill factor and efficiency over similar devices employing undoped electrodeposited layers.