Optimization of Transparent and Reflecting Electrodes for Amorphous-Silicon Solar Cells: Final Subcontract Report, 1 May 1991 - 30 April 1994

Technical Report · Fri Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1994

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10169789· OSTI ID:10169789

Gordon, R. G.; Hu, J.; Lacks, D.; Musher, J.; Thornton, J.; Liang, H.

Fluorine-doped zinc oxide was shown to have the lowest absorption loss of any of the known transparent conductors. An apparatus was constructed to deposit textured, transparent, conductive, fluorine-doped zinc oxide layers with uniform thickness over a 10 cm by 10 cm area, using inexpensive, high-productivity atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition. Amorphous silicon solar cells grown on these textured films show very high peak quantum efficiencies (over 90%). However, a significant contact resistance develops at the interface between the amorphous silicon and the zinc oxide. Transparent, conductive gallium-doped zinc oxide films were grown by APCVD at a low enough temperature (260{degree}C) to be deposited on amorphous silicon as a final conductive back contact to solar cells. A quantum-mechanical theory of bonding was developed and applied to some metal oxides; it forms a basis for understanding TCO structures and the stability of their interfaces with silicon.

• Research Organization: National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
• DOE Contract Number: AC36-08GO28308
• OSTI ID: 10169789
• Report Number(s): NREL/TP-411-6856; ON: DE94011841; BR: WM1020000
• Resource Relation: Other Information: PBD: Jul 1994
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
SILICON SOLAR CELLS
FABRICATION
ZINC OXIDES
CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION
PROGRESS REPORT
SILICON
AMORPHOUS STATE
DOPED MATERIALS
ELECTRODES
photovoltaics
solar cells
amorphous silicon
140501
360601
360602
665000
PHOTOVOLTAIC CONVERSION
PREPARATION AND MANUFACTURE
STRUCTURE AND PHASE STUDIES
PHYSICS OF CONDENSED MATTER