Performance and stability of Si:H p[endash]i[endash]n solar cells with [ital i] layers prepared at the thickness-dependent amorphous-to-microcrystalline phase boundary

Journal Article · Wed Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1999 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.124752· OSTI ID:6407144

Koval, R J; Koh, J; Lu, Z; Jiao, L; Collins, R W; Wronski, C R ^[1]

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1. Center for Thin Film Devices, Electrical Engineering Department, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802 (United States)

Systematic studies have been carried out on the transition from the amorphous to the microcrystalline phase in intrinsic Si:H as a function of the accumulated film thickness and the effect of this transition on p[endash]i[endash]n solar cell performance [J. Koh, Y. Lee, H. Fujiwara, C. R. Wronski, and R. W. Collins, Appl. Phys. Lett. [bold 73], 1526 (1998)]. Guided by a deposition phase diagram obtained from real-time spectroscopic ellipsometry, cell structures having [ital i] layers deposited with different H[sub 2]-dilution levels and thicknesses were investigated. For these structures, the fill factors are controlled by the bulk [ital i] layers. From the systematic changes in the fill factors, specifically their initial and degraded steady-state values and their degradation kinetics, the effects of the transition from the amorphous to the microcrystalline phase within the Si:H layers are identified, and insights are obtained into the properties of these structurally graded materials. [copyright] [ital 1999 American Institute of Physics.]

• OSTI ID: 6407144
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Journal Name: Applied Physics Letters Vol. 75:11; ISSN APPLAB; ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
AMORPHOUS STATE
CRYSTALLIZATION
DIAGRAMS
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELEMENTS
ELLIPSOMETRY
EQUIPMENT
FILMS
HYDROGEN
HYDROGEN ADDITIONS
MEASURING METHODS
NONMETALS
P-N JUNCTIONS
PHASE DIAGRAMS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
SEMICONDUCTOR JUNCTIONS
SEMIMETALS
SILICON
SILICON SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
STABILITY
THIN FILMS