Polycrystalline cadmium telluride layers were implanted with phosphorus (P) in order to obtain an enhanced p-type doping close to the back contact of CdTe solar cells. The implantation parameters were adjusted based on computer simulations using SRIM. While the implantation profile was kept constant, different CdTe layer thicknesses were investigated. Furthermore, different annealing and activation processes and their influence on the P distribution in the device as well as ion beam induced damage were investigated. The P level was identified by photoluminescence measurements, the effective doping was investigated by means of capacitance-voltage measurements, and the effect on the solar cell properties was analyzed by current voltage characteristics. The results show the P distribution in the CdTe layer to depend strongly on the thermal and chemical post-implantation treatment. The effect of the P-doping on the solar cell properties becomes obvious by an increase of the open-circuit voltage due to the implantation. (C) 2011 Elsevier BM. All rights reserved.