Fabrication and characterization of SiC-based transparent passivating contacts for enhanced photovoltaic performance

• Published in: Optical materials 2023-10, Vol.144, p.114276, Article 114276
• Main Authors: Qayyum, Faraz, Shuja, Ahmed, Ali, Muhammad
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Contact passivation; Photoluminescence; Q-DLTS; SiC; Transmission
• ISSN: 0925-3467; 1873-1252
• DOI: 10.1016/j.optmat.2023.114276

Silicon Carbide (SiC) passivating contacts are thought to be an emerging solution to bridge the existing gap in the silicon-based solar market. Passivating contacts directly tackle the intrinsic metal-semiconductor interfaces issues like recombination losses and Fermi-level pinning. Considering this approach, SiC-based Transparent Passivating Contacts (TPC) are fabricated on n-Si using RF magnetron sputtering at multiple RF powers for enhanced solar cell performance. All said contacts were convolved through a variety of optical, and electrical techniques. It is confirmed that the passivating contacts grown by higher RF power have an enhanced provision for both transmission and contact passivation. Additionally, it has been found that a sufficient amount of oxygen vacancies (VO) are located at the SiC/Si interface and are mainly responsible for limiting of the contact passivation. This issue might be resolved by opting for larger RF power during the SiC growth that may suppress VO impact. Further, purely optical and electro-optical parameters and their dependence on VO have been readily studied. Most importantly the extent of contact passivation has been readily measured by the transient of photo voltages and Q-DLTS techniques and cross-verified by current kinetics studies. It is found by the current-voltage and energy band picture that the SiC grown at higher RF would provide better contact passivation with surface resistance of ∼109 Ω and positive trap centers, respectively. •There are the following highlights which glance at the overall manifesto of this research article.•This work is focused on the fabrication and characterization of SiC-based passivation as well as transparent contacts for Solar Cell applications.•SiC layers were grown by RF Magnetron Sputtering at four different variable powers.•The extent of passivation and transparency of SiC layers have readily characterized using a variety of techniques i.e. Spectroscopic Ellipsometry, Photo-Luminescence, Charge Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy, and Transient of Photo Voltage and kinetics of dark and photocurrents.•It was determined that the SiC grew at a comparatively larger power and may provide a larger extent of both passivation and transparency.