Photovoltaics of ordered CdTe/CdS nanoarrays

Cadmium telluride (CdTe) is a good absorber layer for solar cells with a predicted efficiency of 29% however the highest reported efficiency is only <17% due to various loss mechanisms. One particular loss is attributed to non-uniformity in grain shape and size by Karpov. Simulation of Karpov's model yields counter-intuitive insight that highlights how empirical data can lead researchers to wrong conclusions. A method to grow ordered arrays of ZnTe/CdTe heterostructures is presented. The method has potential for probing the electronic characteristics of individual photodiodes at the granular level.