skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: High-Quality 10 /s Amorphous Silicon Germanium Alloy Solar Cells by Hot-Wire CVD: Preprint

Conference ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1557/PROC-664-A7.5· OSTI ID:15000003

Presented at the 2001 NCPV Program Review Meeting: High-quality high-deposition-rate (10 angstrom/s) a-SiGe:H alloy solar cells have been made by hot-wire chemical-vapor deposition. High-quality high-deposition-rate (10 {angstrom}/s) amorphous silicon germanium (a-SiGe:H) alloy solar cells have been made by hot-wire chemical-vapor deposition (HWCVD). HW a-SiGe:H alloys are evaluated in the SS/n-i-p/ITO solar cell configuration, where the n- and i-layers are deposited by HWCVD at NREL and the p-layer by conventional glow discharge in a separate reactor by United Solar. Effects of Ge concentration, hydrogen dilution, substrate temperature, and step-wise bandgap profile in the i-layer have been studied and optimized. The best cell has an average optical bandgap of 1.6 eV with a low H-dilution at 250 C and a 3-stepwise bandgap profile where the narrowest bandgap is near the p-i interface. The best initial power output has exceeded 4 mW/cm{sup 2} under AM 1.5 illumination with a {lambda}>530-nm filter. When combining with a USSC a-Si:H top solar cell, the best double-junction solar cell exhibits an initial 11.7% active-area efficiency, and a 9.6% stable efficiency after 1000 hours of one-sun light soaking.

Research Organization:
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
US Department of Energy (US)
DOE Contract Number:
AC36-99-GO10337
OSTI ID:
15000003
Report Number(s):
NREL/CP-520-30823; TRN: US200325%%60
Resource Relation:
Journal Volume: 664; Conference: Presented at the NCPV Program Review Meeting, Lakewood, CO (US), 10/14/2001--10/17/2001; Other Information: PBD: 1 Oct 2001
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English