Large-area SnO{sub 2}: F thin films by offline APCVD

Journal Article · Mon Aug 15 00:00:00 EDT 2011 · Materials Research Bulletin

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/J.MATERRESBULL.2011.03.031· OSTI ID:22212207

Wang, Yan ^[1]; Wu, Yucheng ^[1]; Qin, Yongqiang; Zhang, Zhihai ^[1]; Shi, Chengwu ^[1]; Zhang, Qingfeng ^[2]; Li, Changhao ^[2]; Xia, Xiaohong; Sun, Stanley ^[2]; Chen, Leon ^[3]

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1. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, Anhui 230009 (China)
2. Reno Energy Saving Technology Co., Ltd., Bengbu, Anhui 233010 (China)
3. Polar Photovoltaics Co., Ltd., Bengbu, Anhui 233030 (China)

Highlights: {yields} Large-area (1245 mm x 635 mm) FTO thin films were successfully deposited by offline APCVD process. {yields} The as-prepared FTO thin films with sheet resistance 8-11 {Omega}/{open_square} and direct transmittance more than 83% exhibited better than that of the online ones. {yields} The maximum quantum efficiency of the solar cells based on offline FTO substrate was 0.750 at wavelength 540 nm. {yields} The power of the solar modules using the offline FTO as glass substrates was 51.639 W, higher than that of the modules based on the online ones. -- Abstract: In this paper, we reported the successful preparation of fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) thin films on large-area glass substrates (1245 mm x 635 mm x 3 mm) by self-designed offline atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD) process. The FTO thin films were achieved through a combinatorial chemistry approach using tin tetrachloride, water and oxygen as precursors and Freon (F-152, C2H4F2) as dopant. The deposited films were characterized for crystallinity, morphology (roughness) and sheet resistance to aid optimization of materials suitable for solar cells. We got the FTO thin films with sheet resistance 8-11 {Omega}/{open_square} and direct transmittance more than 83%. X-ray diffraction (XRD) characterization suggested that the as-prepared FTO films were composed of multicrystal, with the average crystal size 200-300 nm and good crystallinity. Further more, the field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) images showed that the films were produced with good surface morphology (haze). Selected samples were used for manufacturing tandem amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) thin film solar cells and modules by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). Compared with commercially available FTO thin films coated by online chemical vapor deposition, our FTO coatings show excellent performance resulting in a high quantum efficiency yield for a-Si:H solar cells and ideal open voltage and short circuit current for a-Si:H solar modules.

• OSTI ID: 22212207
• Journal Information: Materials Research Bulletin, Vol. 46, Issue 8; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2011 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0025-5408
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION
CRYSTALS
DEPOSITS
DOPED MATERIALS
ELECTRICAL FAULTS
FIELD EMISSION
FLUORINE
GLASS
MANUFACTURING
MICROSTRUCTURE
QUANTUM EFFICIENCY
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SILICON
SOLAR CELLS
SUBSTRATES
SURFACES
THIN FILMS
X-RAY DIFFRACTION