Research on high-efficiency, stacked, multijunction, amorphous silicon alloy thin-film solar cells. A semiannual subcontract progress report, 1 October 1984-15 May 1985

Technical Report · Fri Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1985

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6457152· OSTI ID:6457152

Dalal, V.

This technical progress report to the Solar Energy Research Institute covers work on high-efficiency, stacked, multijunction amorphous silicone alloy thin-film solar cells. Material growth was begun in a multisector reactor. The a-Si:H films grown in this reactor were very high quality, as shown in their high ratio of photo-to-dark conductivity and very low dark conductivity. High-band-gap a-Si:H films were achieved by using H etching of films during growth. H/sub 2/ dilution in the plasma led to a sharpening of the valence band tail in both a-Si:H and a-(Si,Ge):H films. No SiH/sub 2/ bonds were observed after Ge was added to the a-Si:H. Experiments were begun to develop a two-level, stable back contact to a-Si:H. Preliminary results indicate that a Cr/Pd contact may be stable and moderately reflecting, but the best reflection was obtained with Ag. Mo appears to be a suitable, stable contact to SnO/sub 2/. A critical parameter in achieving 8.5% efficient a-Si:H devices was plasma-cleaning between deposition of the p- and i-layers. 6.5% efficient a-(Si,Ge):H devices were also grown. Two types of tandem cells were fabricated.

• Research Organization: Spire Corp., Bedford, MA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-83CH10093
• OSTI ID: 6457152
• Report Number(s): SERI/STR-211-2845; ON: DE85016875
• 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
CASCADE SOLAR CELLS
DEPOSITION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
EFFICIENCY
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SEMIMETALS
SILICON
SILICON SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT