SBIR Phase I: Low-Cost Electrosynthesis of High Quality Cadmium Telluride Films

这个小企业创新研究第一阶段项目提出了一种分子水平的电化学方法来制造半导体化合物。它的目标是商业上重要的电光应用，太阳能电池和红外器件用碲化镉薄膜的低温合成。目前的技术使用昂贵的气相沉积方法，不适合大规模或低温制造。该项目将开发一种低成本的电化学方法来生产高质量的薄膜。第一阶段将确定工艺参数，演示概念验证，并验证碲化镉薄膜的沉积方法。第二阶段将把该方法扩展到其他器件层。该方法的实施将提高光伏效率，降低薄膜组件的制造成本。它的成功将加速该技术的大规模商业化，并为国家不断升级的能源和环境问题提供及时的解决方案。该研究的商业应用碲化镉薄膜技术的应用范围从太阳能电池到红外探测器。更低的成本、更高的效率和更简单的制造将转化为更广泛的商业市场。纳米尺度的电合成方法在制造一系列新颖的量子阱结构和器件方面有着广泛的应用。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project proposes a molecular levelelectrochemical approach to fabricate semiconductor compounds. It targets acommercially important electro-optic application, the low temperature synthesis ofcadmium telluride thin-film for solar cells and infrared devices. Present technology usesexpensive vapor phase deposition methods that are unsuitable for large-scale or low-temperaturefabrication. This project will develop a low-cost, electrochemical process toproduce high quality thin-films. Phase I will identify process parameters, demonstrate theproof of concept and validate the approach for deposition of cadmium telluride films.Phase II will extend the method to the other device layers. Method implementation willraise the photovoltaic efficiencies and lower manufacturing costs of thin-film modules.Its success will accelerate the large-scale commercialization of this technology andprovide a timely solution to the nation's escalating energy and environmental problems.Commercial applications of the ResearchApplications for the cadmium telluride thin film technology range from the solar cells toinfrared detectors. Lower cost, higher efficiencies and simpler manufacturing willtranslate into a wider spectrum of commercial markets. The nanoscale electrosynthesismethod has applications for fabricating a range of novel quantum well structures anddevices.