Investigation of mechanically hard, chemically inert antireflection coatings for photovoltaic solar modules. Final technical report, April 1, 1980-March 31, 1981

Technical Report · Tue Mar 31 04:00:00 EST 1981

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5192037· OSTI ID:5192037

Moravec, T. J.

The overall objective of this program is to determine the optical properties of i-Carbon (diamond-like) films and determine if these films can be developed into antireflecting (AR) coatings for silicon solar cells. The i-C films have been produced on glass, silicon, and KCl by radio frequency (RF) plasma decomposition of the alkane gases. Films were also produced on silicon solar cells by low-energy ion beam techniques. These coatings did not perform as well as those made from hydrocarbon gases. Significant progress has been made in understanding the deposition parameters that affect the optical properties of the films. The optical constants n and k have been determined over a large range of process parameters and source gas. The degree of hydrogen incorporation in these films has been studied by SIMS analysis. It was found that the lower optically absorbing films contain more hydrogen. This hydrogen does not, however, manifest itself in fundamental C-H absorption bands in the infrared. Very efficient single-layer quarter-wave i-C AR coatings have been produced on single-crystal and SOC Si solar cells. An increase in cell efficiency of 40% over uncoated cells has been achieved.

• Research Organization: Solar Energy Research Inst., Golden, CO (USA); Honeywell Corporate Technology Center, Bloomington, MN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-77CH00178
• OSTI ID: 5192037
• Report Number(s): SERI/TR-9010-3-T1; ON: DE82007267
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
ABSORPTIVITY
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
ANTIREFLECTION COATINGS
CARBON
CHEMICAL COATING
CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
COATINGS
DEPOSITION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
EFFICIENCY
ELEMENTS
ENERGY BEAM DEPOSITION
EQUIPMENT
FILMS
GLASS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN
NONMETALS
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
POTASSIUM CHLORIDES
POTASSIUM COMPOUNDS
REFRACTIVITY
SEMIMETALS
SILICON
SILICON SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SPECTRAL RESPONSE
SUBSTRATES
SURFACE COATING