Abstract
Cadmium sulfide (CdS) thin films have been prepared from powder and chunk sources using electron beam deposition method. Structure, morphology and optical properties of the films have been investigated. CdS films typically exhibit a strong cubic orientation, while source materials from which the films are made exhibit hexagonal orientations. Grain size of CdS films deposited from chunk sources is 1.8 times larger than that from powder. CdS particles are observed on the surfaces of all films, but fewer particles are from chunk sources than that from powder. Optical band gaps of CdS films deposited from chunks and powder are 2.4 and 2.45 eV, respectively. CdS/CdTe solar cells were fabricated and their
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characteristic is studied.