a-Si/c-Si solar cells: Effect of preparation and processing techniques on the photovoltaic properties

Book · Tue Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1996

OSTI ID:417660

Jagannathan, B; Anderson, W A ^[1]

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1. State Univ. of New York, Amherst, NY (United States)

The photovoltaic (PV) properties of undoped amorphous silicon (a-Si)/p-type crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cells were found to improve by a hydrofluoric acid treatment of c-Si just prior to glow discharge deposition of a-Si. The short circuit current density (J{sub sc}) improved from 2.7 to 23.5 mA/cm{sup 2} for an 0.1 {micro}m thick a-Si layer. This also resulted in an improved spectral response of the solar cell in the violet region of the spectrum. The enhanced properties have been attributed to the improved carrier transport across the interface, as seen in the current-voltage-temperature relationships, and also PC-1D simulation of the devices. Solar cells of a similar type were also fabricated by dc magnetron sputtering of the a-Si layer. Hf passivated cells (area {approximately} 0.24 cm{sup 2}) yielded about 9.5% efficiency with J{sub sc} of 30 mA/cm{sup 2} and a FF of 0.6, without use of an A/R coating. The variation of the PV properties of these cells was investigated as a function of a-Si thickness and c-Si doping.

• Sponsoring Organization: National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States); New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, Albany, NY (United States)
• OSTI ID: 417660
• Report Number(s): CONF-960401--; ISBN 1-55899-329-0
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION
CURRENT DENSITY
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FILL FACTORS
HYDROGEN ADDITIONS
INTERFACES
LIGHT TRANSMISSION
PERFORMANCE
PHOTOCONDUCTIVITY
RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY
SILANES
SILICON
SILICON SOLAR CELLS
SPECTRAL RESPONSE
SPUTTERING