Deposition of amorphous silicon solar cells at high rates by glow discharge of disilane. Final subcontract report, January 1985-July 1986

Technical Report · Fri Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1986

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5050928· OSTI ID:5050928

Vanier, P. E.

This report summarizes the results of recent a-Si:H thin-film photovoltaic (PV) materials research. The work reported here concerned the fabrication of a-Si:H solar cells at high deposition rates using disilane. This task required the construction of a new, dual-chamber deposition system to control the dopant profile between the heavily doped p-type layer and the undoped (intrinsic) layer in the solar cell structure. Conditions were sought that would produce high-quality films at a high deposition rate. Complete photovoltaic devices were fabricated. In disilane-deposited material, the optimum substrate temperature is much higher than in silane material, presumably because it is harder to eliminate the excess hydrogen in the former. The efficiency of the best disilane cell was about 7%, with an open-circuit voltage of 0.80 V, a short-circuit current density of 14.7 mA cm/sup -2/ and a fill factor of 0.59. The most likely area for improvement is in the voltage, where values as high as 0.9 V should be possible with careful adjustment of the cell structure.

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-83CH10093
• OSTI ID: 5050928
• Report Number(s): SERI/STR-211-3016; ON: DE86014514
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360601 -- Other Materials-- Preparation & Manufacture
AMORPHOUS STATE
BORON
CURRENT DENSITY
DEPOSITION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
DISPERSIONS
DOPED MATERIALS
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
FABRICATION
FILL FACTORS
GLOW DISCHARGES
HYDRIDES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MATERIALS
MIXTURES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SILICON COMPOUNDS
PERFORMANCE
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
SEMIMETALS
SILANES
SILICON
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SILICON SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT