Amorphous thin films for solar-cell applications. Final report, September 11, 1978-September 10, 1979

Technical Report · Fri Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5277229· OSTI ID:5277229

Carlson, D E; Balberg, I; Crandall, R S; Goldstein, B C; Hanak, J J; Pankove, J I; Staebler, D L; Weakliem, H A; Williams, R

In Section II, Theoretical Modeling, theories for the capture of electrons by deep centers in hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) and for field-dependent quantum efficiency in a-Si:H are presented. In Section III, Deposition and Doping Studies, the optimization of phosphorus-doped a-Si:H carried out in four different discharge systems is described. Some details of the dc proximity and rf magnetron discharge systems are also provided. Preliminary mass spectroscopy studies of the rf magnetron discharge in both SiH/sub 4/ and SiF/sub 4/ are presented. In Section IV, Experimental Methods for Characterizing a-Si:H, recent work involving photoluminescence of fluorine-doped a-Si:H, photoconductivity spectra, the photoelectromagnetic effect, the photo-Hall effect and tunneling into a-Si:H is presented. Also, studies of the growth mechanism of Pt adsorbed on both crystalline Si and a-Si:H are described. Measurements of the surface photovoltage have been used to estimate the distribution of surface states of phosphorus-doped and undoped a-Si:H. Section V, Formation of Solar-Cell Structures, contains information on stacked or multiple-junction a-Si:H solar cells. In Section VI, Theoretical and Experimental Evaluation of Solar-Cell Parameters, an upper limit of approx. = 400 A is established for the hole diffusion length in undoped a-Si:H. A detailed description of carrier generation, recombination and transport in a-Si:H solar cells is given. Finally, some characteristics of Pd-Schottky-barrier cells are described for different processing histories.

• Research Organization: RCA Labs., Princeton, NJ (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-78ET21074
• OSTI ID: 5277229
• Report Number(s): DOE/ET/21074-4
• 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
656000 -- Condensed Matter Physics
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
AMORPHOUS STATE
AUGER EFFECT
CHARGE CARRIERS
CHARGE TRANSPORT
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CRYSTAL DOPING
DATA
DATA FORMS
DEHYDROGENATION
DEPOSITION
DIFFUSION LENGTH
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTRONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ELEMENTS
ENERGY
ENERGY LEVELS
EQUIPMENT
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FABRICATION
FERMIONS
FILMS
GLOW DISCHARGES
GRAPHS
HALL EFFECT
HOLES
HYDROGENATION
INFORMATION
JUNCTIONS
LEPTONS
LUMINESCENCE
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
METALS
NUMERICAL DATA
P-N JUNCTIONS
PERFORMANCE
PHOTOCONDUCTIVITY
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOLUMINESCENCE
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC EFFECT
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PLASMA ARC SPRAYING
PLATINUM
PLATINUM METALS
POTENTIAL ENERGY
QUANTUM EFFICIENCY
RECOMBINATION
SCHOTTKY BARRIER DIODES
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SEMICONDUCTOR DIODES
SEMICONDUCTOR JUNCTIONS
SEMIMETALS
SILICON
SILICON SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SPECTRAL RESPONSE
SPECTROSCOPY
SPRAY COATING
SURFACE COATING
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
TRAPPING
TRAPS
TUNNEL EFFECT