A novel p-type nanocrystalline Si buffer at the p/i interface of a-Si solar cells for high stabilized efficiency
The authors investigated the properties of a novel p-type nanocrystalline Si (p-nc-Si) prepared onto p-a-SiC and the effect of using the buffer with an energy bandgap over 1.9 eV at the p/i interface on the performance of p/i/n type amorphous silicon based solar cells. At the initial growth stage of the p-nc-Si onto p-a-SiC, Si nanocrystallites are proved to be formed in amorphous matrix within the thickness of less than 100 {angstrom}. The open circuit voltage and the blue response of the cell were improved significantly by inserting the film at the p/i interface as a buffer as compared with the bufferless cell. They found from a numerical simulation using the Gummel-Sharfetter method that the buffering effect of the p-nc-Si is originated from the reduction of highly defect region with a short life-time in the vicinity of the p/i interface.
- Research Organization:
- Korea Advanced Inst. of Science and Technology, Taejon (KR)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- Korea Electric Power Research Institute
- OSTI ID:
- 20107945
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 1999 Materials Research Society Spring Meeting, San Francisco, CA (US), 04/05/1999--04/09/1999; Other Information: PBD: 1999; Related Information: In: Amorphous and heterogeneous silicon thin films: Fundamentals to devices -- 1999. Materials Research Society symposium proceedings: Volume 557, by Branz, H.M.; Collins, R.W.; Okamoto, Hiroaki; Guha, S.; Schropp, R. [eds.], 908 pages.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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