Ideal transparent conductors for full spectrum photovoltaics

In current technologies, state-of-the-art transparent conducting oxides exhibit good conductivity (∼5×10³ S/cm) and transparency up to only λ ∼ 1000 nm, restricting the use of such thin films to photovoltaics that are not utilizing the infrared part of the solar spectrum. We have found that among metal oxides, high electron mobility CdO satisfies the essential requirements for a low resistance and high infrared transmission transparent contact. With appropriate intentional doping, we have achieved ideal uncompensated CdO with extremely high conductivity (>10⁴ S/cm) and an excellent transmission window in the range from 400 to >1500 nm, making this material an ideal TCO for photovoltaics with low band gap absorbers. © 2012 American Institute of Physics.