Can thin films of cadmium telluride be used in solar cells?

Thin films of cadmium telluride (CdTe) have attained the attention of researchers due to the potential application in solar cells. However, cost-effective fabrication of solar cells based on thin films along with remarkable efficiency and control over optical properties is still a challenging task.

What is cadmium selenium tellurium (CdTe)?

In modern cells, cadmium selenium tellurium (CdSeTe) is often used in conjunction with CdTe to improve light absorption. Learn more about how solar cells work. CdTe solar cells are the second most common photovoltaic (PV) technology after crystalline silicon, representing 21% of the U.S. market and 4% of the global market in 2022.

What is cadmium telluride (CdTe) photovoltaic (PV)?

The United States is the leader in cadmium telluride (CdTe) photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing, and NREL has been at the forefront of research and development in this area. PV solar cells based on CdTe represent the largest segment of commercial thin-film module production worldwide.

What is the cadmium telluride PV perspective paper?

SETO released the Cadmium Telluride PV Perspective Paper in January 2025, outlining the state of CdTe PV technology and SETO’s priorities to reduce costs, address materials availability, and support the scale-up of CdTe within the domestic utility-scale PV market. A large-scale solar array in Colorado with CdTe modules.

How are cadmium telluride modules manufactured?

The manufacturing process for cadmium telluride modules can be split into 4 main steps: Cadmium and tellurium are byproducts of mining operations for zinc and copper, respectively. The waste from these mining processes have so far produced more than enough Cd and Te, so no extra mining is needed.

Are polyimide solar cells better than glass?

The solar cells achieved an efficiency of 11 %. However, polyimide (PI) is less thermally stable compared to glass and may exhibit thermal expansion, which can cause delamination and degradation of the device. PI is also more susceptible to moisture and oxygen, which can degrade the effectiveness of the flexible CdTe solar cells . Fig. 4.