Influence of the layer thickness and hydrogen dilution on electrical properties of large area amorphous silicon p–i–n solar cell

2005 ◽  
Vol 87 (1-4) ◽  
pp. 349-355 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Raniero ◽  
N. Martins ◽  
P. Canhola ◽  
S. Zhang ◽  
S. Pereira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cell ◽  
Electrical Properties ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Layer Thickness ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Hydrogen Dilution

Amorphous Silicon Alloy Materials and Solar Cells Near the Threshold of Microcrystallinity

1999 ◽  
Vol 557 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Yang ◽  
S. Guha
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Triple Junction ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Spectral Response ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Silicon Alloys ◽  
Solar Cell Performance ◽  
Hydrogen Dilution

AbstractOne of the most effective techniques used to obtain high quality amorphous silicon alloys is the use of hydrogen dilution during film growth. The resultant material exhibits a more ordered microstructure and gives rise to high efficiency solar cells. As the hydrogen dilution increases, however, a threshold is reached, beyond which microcrystallites begin to form rapidly. In this paper, we review some of the interesting features associated with the thin film materials obtained from various hydrogen dilutions. They include the observation of linear-like objects in the TEM micrograph, a shift of the principal Si TO band in the Raman spectrum, a sharp, low temperature peak in the H2 evolution spectrum, a shift of the wagging mode in the IR spectrum, and a narrowing of the Si (111) peak in the X-ray diffraction pattern. These spectroscopic tools have allowed us to optimize deposition conditions to near the threshold of microcrystallinity and obtain desired high quality materials. Incorporation of the improved materials into device configuration has significantly enhanced the solar cell performance. Using a spectral-splitting, triple-junction configuration, the spectral response of a typical high efficiency device spans from below 350 nm to beyond 950 nm with a peak quantum efficiency exceeding 90%; the triple stack generates a photocurrent of 27 mA/cm2. This paper describes the effect of the improved materials on various solar cell structures, including a 13% active-area, stable triple-junction device.

Amorphous Silicon-Carbon Alloys for Solar Cells

1993 ◽  
Vol 297 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuan-Min Li
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Light Exposure ◽  
Open Circuit ◽  
Hydrogen Dilution ◽  
Silicon Carbon ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous ◽  
Substrate Temperatures ◽  
Open Circuit Voltages

Recent efforts to optimize undoped, glow-discharge hydrogenated amorphous silicon-carbon alloys (a-SiC:H) with 1.9-2.0 eV bandgaps for solar cell applications are reviewed. Hydrogen dilution coupled with relatively low substrate temperatures (below 200 °C) have led to great improvements in the optical and phototransport properties of a-SiC:H films. The issue of alternative carbon feedstocks other than methane (CH4) will be explored. The improved a-SiC:H alloys have resulted in solar cells with high open circuit voltages (V∞ > 1.0 volt) and high fill factors (> 0.7). Further, the a-SiC:H solar cell instability upon prolonged light exposure has been much reduced. Correlation will be made between the properties of bulk undoped a-SiC:H films and the performance of p-i-nsingle junction solar cells using corresponding a-SiC:H thin i-layers.

Stable Solar Cells Prepared from Dichlorosilane

1998 ◽  
Vol 507 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Yamamoto ◽  
W. Futako ◽  
K. Fukutani ◽  
M. Hagino ◽  
T. Sugawara ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Band Gap ◽  
Buffer Layers ◽  
Silicon Solar Cells ◽  
Hydrogen Dilution ◽  
Cell Structures ◽  
Reactive Plasma ◽  
Plasma Species

ABSTRACTAmorphous silicon films and solar cell i-layers were prepared from dichlorosilane(DCS) by ECR- and VHF-CVD. The hydrogen content, the chlorine content and the band gap could be controlled by varying argon and hydrogen dilution. The interaction of energetic and reactive plasma species with substrates and other previously deposited layers was studied. DCS, ECR-CVD causes darkening of TCO substrates even when buffer layers and/or doped layers were previously deposited by RF-CVD. Therefore n-i-p solar cell structures were prepared on NiCr and subsequent p-i-n solar cells were prepared with VHF-CVD which did not causeTCO reduction or other reactions in previously deposited amorphous layers. Preliminary results indicate that the VHF-CVD solar cells are at least as stable as standard amorphous silicon solar cells.

Investigations of LPCVD-ZnO front contact TCO on large area for amorphous silicon solar cell applications

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gutlapalli Venkata Rao ◽  
Andreas Winzer ◽  
Marion Gebhardt ◽  
Daniel Messerschmidt ◽  
Christian koitzsch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cell ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Silicon Solar Cell ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Amorphous Silicon Solar Cell

Switch-On Transients And Static Characteristics Of Polymorphous And Amorphous Silicon Thin-Film Transistor

2003 ◽  
Vol 762 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Tripathi ◽  
Y. N. Mohapatra
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Electrical Properties ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Thin Film Transistor ◽  
Chemical Vapor ◽  
Localized States ◽  
Silicon Thin Film ◽  
Hydrogen Dilution ◽  
Order Of Magnitude ◽  
Switching Characteristics

AbstractHydrogenated polymorphous silicon (Pm-Si:H) being an admixture of amorphous and ordered phase silicon shows improved optical and electrical properties due to the presence of nanocrystallites. In order to compare the dynamic and steady state electrical properties in a-Si:H and pm-Si:H, bottom gate Thin Film Transistors (TFT) of these materials were fabricated with SiO2 as the insulating layer. The active materials were deposited using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) by varying pressure, temperature and hydrogen dilution. Transfer characteristics of TFTs made using pm-Si:H show lower leakage current, higher on-current and sharper volt per decade change as compared to similar TFTs made from a-Si:H. Density of states in pm-Si:H as calculated from field effect conductance using incremental method is observed to be an order of magnitude lower than in a-Si:H based devices. To compare dynamic characteristics, we studied the switch-on transient characteristics of polymorphous and amorphous silicon TFTs by pulsing the gate to different voltages in the temperature range of 150-300K. The switch-on transients are trap limited with overall better switching characteristics for pm-Si:H samples. An initial rising transient in case of pm-Si:H is activated with an effective energy of 0.3 eV. The origins of transients are interpreted in terms of trap limited carrier dynamics and charge redistribution within the distribution of localized states.

Semi-Transparent Amorphous Silicon Solar Cells on Inexpensive Plastic Substrates

2006 ◽  
Vol 973 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilvydas Matulionis ◽  
Jian Hu ◽  
Alex Stavrides ◽  
Nathan Call ◽  
Augusto Kunrath ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Layer Thickness ◽  
Active Area ◽  
Silicon Solar Cells ◽  
Plastic Substrates ◽  
Area Efficiency

ABSTRACTWe report a monolithic series connected semi-transparent (transmission > 40%) amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) solar cell panel (substrate area 30cm × 40cm), which has an i-layer thickness <2000Å and an active area efficiency, η ∼ 3%. We also report on all laser scribed, series connected mini-modules with an aperture area η > 3% constructed on inexpensive plastic substrates.

Argon Dilution as an Alternative to Hydrogen Dilution for the Preparation of Large Area Device Quality Amorphous Silicon

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Animesh Layek ◽  
Somnath Middya ◽  
Partha Pratim Ray ◽  
Alka B. Garg ◽  
R. Mittal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Hydrogen Dilution ◽  
Argon Dilution

Parallel Conduction in a-Si:H/a-Si1−xCx:H Multilayers

1993 ◽  
Vol 297 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Bertomeu ◽  
J. Puigdollers ◽  
J.M. Asensi ◽  
J.C. Delgado ◽  
J. Andreu
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Properties ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Layer Thickness ◽  
Dark Conductivity ◽  
Silicon Carbon ◽  
Parallel Conduction ◽  
In Series ◽  
Parallel Direction ◽  
Alloy Effect

This paper deals with the electrical properties in the parallel direction of compositionally modulated amorphous silicon/amorphous silicon-carbon multilayers. Conductivity of three series of samples with varying well and barrier thicknesses is studied. The results show that dark conductivity decreases when reducing a-Si:H layer thickness. This is interpreted as an alloy effect at interfaces. The role of the a-Si1-xCx:H layers in the photoconductivity decrease observed in series with variable mean composition and constant well thickness is discussed

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