Research on stable, high-efficiency amorphous silicon multijunction modules. Annual subcontract report, 1 December 1991--31 October 1992
- Advanced Photovoltaic Systems, Princeton, NJ (United States)
This report describes results from the first phase of a three-phase contract for the development of stable, high-efficiency, same-band-gap, amorphous silicon (a-Si) multijunction photovoltaic (PV) modules. The program involved improving the properties of individual layers of semiconductor and non-semiconductor materials and small-area single-junction and multijunction devices, as well as the multijunction modules. The semiconductor materials research was performed on a-Si p, i, and n layers, and on microcrystalline silicon n layers. These were deposited using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The non-semiconductor materials studied were tin oxide, for use as a transparent-conducting-oxide (TCO), and zinc oxide, for use as a back reflector and as a buffer layer between the TCO and the semiconductor layers. Tin oxide was deposited using atmospheric-pressure chemical vapor deposition. Zinc oxide was deposited using magnetron sputtering. The research indicated that the major challenge in the fabrication of a-Si multijunction PV modules is the contact between the two p-i-n cells. A structure that has low optical absorption but that also facilitates the recombination of electrons from the first p-i-n structure with holes from the second p-i-n structure is required. Non-semiconductor layers and a-Si semiconductor layers were tested without achieving the desired result.
- Research Organization:
- National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Advanced Photovoltaic Systems, Inc., Princeton, NJ (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-83CH10093
- OSTI ID:
- 10129174
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/TP-411-5327; ON: DE93000072
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: Feb 1993
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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