Enhancement of microcrystalline n-i-p solar cell performance via use of pre-covering layers and H2 treatment

• Published in: Thin solid films 2011-06, Vol.519 (16), p.5567-5570
• Main Authors: Sweetnam, Sean, Söderström, Thomas, Haug, Franz-Josef, Cubero, Oscar, Niquille, Xavier, Terrazzoni-Daudrix, Vanessa, Ballif, Christophe
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Chemical vapor deposition (including plasma-enhanced cvd, mocvd, etc.); Contamination; Covering; Covering layer; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Diffusion barrier; Dopants; Energy; Exact sciences and technology; Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Microcrystalline silicon; Natural energy; Phosphors; Photovoltaic cells; Photovoltaic conversion; Physics; Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition; Raman spectroscopy; Secondary ion mass spectroscopy; Solar cells; Solar cells. Photoelectrochemical cells; Solar energy; Thin films
• ISSN: 0040-6090; 1879-2731
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2011.03.011

We study the effects of a-Si:H and μc-Si:H covering layers and an H2 treatment on the characteristics of μc-Si:H thin film solar cells deposited in open single chamber very high frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition systems. Secondary ion mass spectrometry is used to evaluate the phosphor concentration in the μc-Si:H material. Compared to use of an a-Si:H covering layer, use of a μc-Si:H covering layer reduces dopant contamination by a relative 50%, and improves efficiency by a relative 6%, and use of an H2 treatment reduces dopant contamination by a relative 64%, and improves efficiency by a relative 17%.