Carrier Transport in Microcrystalline Silicon-Germanium Alloy Films and Solar Cells

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Matsui ◽  
K. Ogata ◽  
T. Ozawa ◽  
M. Isomura ◽  
M. Kondo
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Silicon Germanium ◽  
Carrier Transport ◽  
Microcrystalline Silicon ◽  
Alloy Films ◽  
Germanium Alloy

High-Efficiency Microcrystalline Silicon and Microcrystalline Silicon-Germanium Alloy Solar Cells

2011 ◽  
Vol 1321 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takuya Matsui ◽  
Michio Kondo
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Silicon Germanium ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Chemical Vapor ◽  
Microcrystalline Silicon ◽  
Cell Parameters ◽  
Germanium Alloy ◽  
Doping Technique ◽  
Material Studies

ABSTRACTThis paper presents our material studies on hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon (μc-Si:H) and microcrystalline silicon-germanium alloy (μc-Si1-xGex:H) thin films for the development of high efficiency p-i-n junction solar cells. In μc-Si:H solar cells, we have evaluated the structural properties of the intrinsic μc-Si:H layers grown by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition at high deposition rates (>2 nm/s). Several design criteria for the device grade μc-Si:H are proposed in terms of crystallographic orientation, grain size and grain boundary passivation. Meanwhile, in μc-Si1-xGex:H solar cells, we have succeeded in boosting the infrared response of solar cell upon Ge incorporation up to x∼0.2. Nevertheless, a degradation of solar cell parameters is observed for large Ge contents (x>0.2) and thick i-layers (> 1 μm), which is attributed to the influence of the Ge dangling bonds that act as acceptorlike states in undoped μc-Si1-xGex:H. To improve the device performance, we introduce an oxygen doping technique to compensate the native defect acceptors in μc-Si1-xGex:H p-i-n solar cells.

Amorphous silicon-germanium alloy multilayers for solar cells

1988 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.P. Conde ◽  
V. Chu ◽  
S. Tanaka ◽  
D.S. Shen ◽  
S. Wagner
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Silicon Germanium ◽  
Germanium Alloy ◽  
Amorphous Silicon Germanium

Influence of alloy composition on carrier transport and solar cell properties of hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon-germanium thin films

2006 ◽  
Vol 89 (14) ◽  
pp. 142115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takuya Matsui ◽  
Michio Kondo ◽  
Keisuke Ogata ◽  
Tsuyoshi Ozawa ◽  
Masao Isomura
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Silicon Germanium ◽  
Carrier Transport ◽  
Alloy Composition ◽  
Microcrystalline Silicon

Plasma Deposition and Interface Control in Low Temperature Processing of Thin Film Solar Cells

1997 ◽  
Vol 485 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Jagannathan ◽  
W. A. Anderson
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Carrier Transport ◽  
Crystalline Silicon ◽  
Plasma Deposition ◽  
Microcrystalline Silicon ◽  
Interface Control ◽  
Electro Optic ◽  
Low Temperature Processing ◽  
Si Films

AbstractPlasma deposition of thin silicon films with a variable microstructure and controlled interface formation techniques are being developed for thin film silicon/polycrystalline silicon solar cells. Low hydrogen content amorphous (a-Si) or microcrystalline silicon (μ c-Si) films were obtained by controlling the H2 dilution of 2% SiH4/He in a microwave ECR discharge. The films were characterized for structural and electro-optic properties. Junction creation for solar cells was investigated by depositing single or multilayers of the film silicon onto crystalline silicon (c-Si). Effort to improve carrier transport and photovoltaic (PV) properties was pursued through interface modifications effected by varying the microstructure of the layer in contact with the substrate. Cells with 7% conversion efficiency (No A/R) were obtained for an a-Si/c-Si heterojunction configuration. Improved carrier transport and PV properties (9% ef ficient) were achieved by inserting a thin μ c-Si layer in the above structure.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document