Polysilicon-contacted P/sup +/ emitters for silicon solar cell applications

Technical Report · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:5626063

Christel, L A

A polysilicon-contact technology was investigated as a method of reducing the minority carrier recombination that occurs in boron-doped p/sup +/ emitter structures in silicon. Two different polysilicon processes using low-pressure chemical-vapor deposition were used. Undoped polysilicon that was later doped by furnace predeposition was compared with in situ-doped polysilicon followed by diffusion. PNP transistors were used as the test structure. The emitter saturation current densities measured on devices with and without polysilicon were compared. The effect of a chemically grown oxide beneath the polysilicon was also investigated. Devices with polysilicon-contacted emitters performed marginally better than those with simple metal contacts. A barrier oxide between the polysilicon and single-crystal emitter was found to offer additional improvement. The magnitude of the emitter saturation current densities observed was not as low as that seen in n-type emitter structures. 10 refs., 13 figs., 12 tabs.

• Research Organization: SERA Solar Corp., Santa Clara, CA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 5626063
• Report Number(s): SAND-87-7021; ON: DE88005106
• 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
CARRIER LIFETIME
CHARGE CARRIERS
CURRENT DENSITY
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
DOPED MATERIALS
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRIC CONTACTS
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
FABRICATION
LIFETIME
MATERIALS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
SILICON SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT