Characterization and comparison of optically transparent conducting films

Technical Report · Thu Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1990

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7248244· OSTI ID:7248244

Gordon, R G ^[1]

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1. Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA (USA)

Textured tin oxide films with high light-trapping efficiency, high electrical conductivity and high transparency were successfully grown at high rates by chemical vapor deposition. This process has achieved large-scale commercial production of substrates for amorphous silicon solar cells. Highly transparent and highly conductive films of fluorine-doped zinc oxide were formed by a new CVD process. Increases in the texture (light-trapping) and growth rate are needed to make this a practical process for making substrates for solar cells. Decreases in deposition temperature are needed to make successful back contacts. A hybrid TCO consisting of textured tin oxide covered with a thin, smooth fluorine-doped zinc oxide layer combines the best features of these two materials. It shows efficient light-trapping because of the textured tin oxide, combined with the good resistance of zinc oxide to the hydrogen plasma used to deposit the amorphous silicon. Highly conductive and reflective titanium nitride was deposited under conditions mild enough to form back contacts on amorphous silicon solar cells. Actual cells will be coated and tested in the next contract period. Further optimization of the deposition conditions for these materials should be carried out in collaboration with solar cell manufacturers. 41 refs., 31 figs., 7 tabs.

• Research Organization: Solar Energy Research Inst., Golden, CO (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/CE
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-83CH10093
• OSTI ID: 7248244
• Report Number(s): SERI/TP-211-3666; ON: DE90000319
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360204 -- Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories-- Physical Properties
CHALCOGENIDES
COHERENT SCATTERING
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
DEPOSITION
DIFFRACTION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
DOCUMENT TYPES
DOPED MATERIALS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTRON MOBILITY
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
FILMS
FLUORINE
GRAIN BOUNDARIES
GRAIN SIZE
HALOGENS
MATERIALS
MICROSTRUCTURE
MOBILITY
NONMETALS
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARTICLE MOBILITY
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PROGRESS REPORT
SCATTERING
SIZE
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SPECTRAL REFLECTANCE
THIN FILMS
TIN COMPOUNDS
TIN OXIDES
X-RAY DIFFRACTION
ZINC COMPOUNDS
ZINC OXIDES