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Title: Investigation of mechanically hard, chemically inert antireflection coatings for photovoltaic solar modules. Final technical report, April 1, 1980-March 31, 1981

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5192037· OSTI ID:5192037

The overall objective of this program is to determine the optical properties of i-Carbon (diamond-like) films and determine if these films can be developed into antireflecting (AR) coatings for silicon solar cells. The i-C films have been produced on glass, silicon, and KCl by radio frequency (RF) plasma decomposition of the alkane gases. Films were also produced on silicon solar cells by low-energy ion beam techniques. These coatings did not perform as well as those made from hydrocarbon gases. Significant progress has been made in understanding the deposition parameters that affect the optical properties of the films. The optical constants n and k have been determined over a large range of process parameters and source gas. The degree of hydrogen incorporation in these films has been studied by SIMS analysis. It was found that the lower optically absorbing films contain more hydrogen. This hydrogen does not, however, manifest itself in fundamental C-H absorption bands in the infrared. Very efficient single-layer quarter-wave i-C AR coatings have been produced on single-crystal and SOC Si solar cells. An increase in cell efficiency of 40% over uncoated cells has been achieved.

Research Organization:
Solar Energy Research Inst. (SERI), Golden, CO (United States); Honeywell Corporate Technology Center, Bloomington, MN (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-77CH00178
OSTI ID:
5192037
Report Number(s):
SERI/TR-9010-3-T1; ON: DE82007267
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Portions of document are illegible
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English