Research on high-band-gap materials and amorphous-silicon-based solar cells. Annual subcontract report, May 15, 1994--May 14, 1995
- Syracuse Univ., NY (United States)
We have conducted a survey of thin BP:H and BPC:H films prepared by plasma deposition using phosphine, diborane, tri-methylboron, and hydrogen as precursor gases. The objective of this research is to find out whether such films might offer a superior window layer film for application to wide bandgap a-Si solar cells. The research has shown good optical properties in a-BP:H films, but electrical properties acceptable for use in window layers have not been demonstrated yet. We have also found an interesting, conductive and transparent BPC:H film in a remote deposition region of the reactor, but have been unable to transfer deposition of this film to the standard interelectrode region. We have developed our capability to deposit nip sequence amorphous silicon based solar cells, and have demonstrated an open circuit voltage greater than 0.7 V. We have continued our studies of built-in potentials in a-Si based solar cells using the electroabsorption technique, extending our measurements to include cells with wider bandgap intrinsic layers and Schottky barrier test structures. We have made the first time-of-flight drift mobility measurements on a-Si:H prepared by hot wire (HW) deposition. Initial work has shown that light-soaked HW material can have much better ambipolar diffusion lengths than the plasma-deposited material following extended light soaking. We have performed some theoretical work which addresses a difficulty in understanding photocarrier recombination in a-Si:H first identified by Marvin Silver. In particular, electron-hole recombination is much slower than expected from the well-known {open_quotes}diffusion-controlled{close_quotes} models for Onsager (geminate) recombination and Langevin recombination. This slowness is essential to the success of a-Si in solar cells, but is unexplained. We have done work on high field electron drift mobilities in a-Si:H and on the validity of the Einstein relation connecting the diffusion and drift of holes in a-Si:H.
- Research Organization:
- National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC36-83CH10093
- OSTI ID:
- 176787
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/TP--451-20476; ON: DE96000505
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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