Atomic-Layer-Deposited Transparent Electrodes for Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells

Journal Article · Sat Nov 01 00:00:00 EDT 2014 · IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/JPHOTOV.2014.2344771· OSTI ID:1167177

Demaurex, Benedicte ^[1]; Seif, Johannes P. ^[1]; Smit, Sjoerd ^[2]; Macco, Bart ^[2]; Kessels, W. M. ^[2]; Geissbuhler, Jonas ^[1]; De Wolf, Stefaan ^[1]; Ballif, Christophe ^[1]

---

1. École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (Switzerland). Photovoltaics and Thin-Film Electron. Lab
2. Eindhoven Univ. of Technology (Netherlands). Dept. of Applied Physics

We examine damage-free transparent-electrode deposition to fabricate high-efficiency amorphous silicon/crystalline silicon heterojunction solar cells. Such solar cells usually feature sputtered transparent electrodes, the deposition of which may damage the layers underneath. Using atomic layer deposition, we insert thin protective films between the amorphous silicon layers and sputtered contacts and investigate their effect on device operation. We find that a 20-nm-thick protective layer suffices to preserve, unchanged, the amorphous silicon layers beneath. Insertion of such protective atomic-layer-deposited layers yields slightly higher internal voltages at low carrier injection levels. However, we identify the presence of a silicon oxide layer, formed during processing, between the amorphous silicon and the atomic-layer-deposited transparent electrode that acts as a barrier, impeding hole and electron collection.

• Research Organization: École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (Switzerland). Photovoltaics and Thin-Film Electron. Lab
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
• Grant/Contract Number: EE0006335
• OSTI ID: 1167177
• Journal Information: IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics, Vol. 4, Issue 6; ISSN 2156-3381
• Publisher: IEEE
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY