摘要： Cadmium Sulphide is the conventional n-type bu?er layer used in thin ?lm Cadmium Telluride solar cells. It is well known that Cadmium Sulphide causes optical losses and sulphur di?uses into the absorber during high temperature activation. Sputter-deposited Mg-doped ZnO (MZO) has been shown to be an attractive bu?er layer for Cadmium Telluride solar cells due to its transparency and tuneable band gap. It is also stable to high temperature processing and avoids di?usion of elements into the cadmium telluride absorber during the cadmium chloride activation treatment. However, degradation is observed in solar cells incorporating MZO bu?er layers. Analysis of the MZO ?lm surface potential has revealed signi?cant ?uctuations in the thin ?lm work function once the layer is exposed to the atmosphere following deposition. These ?uctuations are attributed to the high reactivity to water vapour of the MgO contained in the MZO ?lms. This has been analysed using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy to determine corresponding changes in the surface chemistry. The Zinc Oxide component is relatively stable, but the analysis shows that MgO forms a Mg(OH)2 layer on the MZO surface which forms a secondary barrier at the MZO/CdTe interface and/or at the interface between MZO and the Fluorine-doped SnO2. This a?ects the Fill Factor and as a consequence it degrades the conversion e?ciency.