Research on stable, high efficiency amorphous silicon multijunction modules. Semiannual technical progress report, 1 May 1991--31 October 1991

Technical Report · Sat Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1992

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10127704· OSTI ID:10127704

Catalano, A; Arya, R R; Bennett, M; Chen, L; D`Aiello, R; Fieselmann, B; Li, Y; Newton, J; Podlesny, R; Wiedeman, S; Yang, L ^[1]

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1. Solarex Corp., Newtown, PA (United States). Thin Film Div.

Improvements towards a goal of a 12.5% initial triple-junction module efficiency require the use of a wide gap top-layer for improved open circuit voltage, higher transmission from the transparent front contact and more highly transmitting doped layers. To address the first issue, there has been continued development of a-SiC:H with the utilization of several novel feedstocks to control the atomic structure of the solid. These films have transport properties superior to the best results reported for a-SiC:H. Preliminary results with devices exhibits a stability comparable to a-Si:H, while previous results with a-SiC:H have generally shown for higher rates of degradation. Module fabrication has been refined to the extent that comparable module and small area device efficiencies are readily obtained. Despite the high initial efficiencies (9%--10%) obtained in 935 cm{sup 2} modules employing devices with 4000{Angstrom} thick middle junctions, higher than expected rates of degradation were found. The cause of the anomalous degradation was traced to shunts present in the device arising from defects in the tin oxide coating. NREL degradation results of triple-junction modules showed stabilized performance of the initial efficiency for modules prepared during the period in which shunts were a problem. 20 refs.

• Research Organization: National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States); Solarex Corp., Newtown, PA (United States). Thin Film Div.
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-83CH10093
• OSTI ID: 10127704
• Report Number(s): NREL/TP--451-4720; ON: DE92001213
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360601
AMORPHOUS STATE
CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION
DECOMPOSITION
FABRICATION
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PHOTOVOLTAIC CONVERSION
PREPARATION AND MANUFACTURE
PROGRESS REPORT
QUANTUM EFFICIENCY
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SILICON
SILICON ALLOYS
SILICON SOLAR CELLS
TIN OXIDES
ZINC OXIDES