scholarly journals Electrically flat/optically rough substrates for efficiencies above 10% in n-i-p thin-film silicon solar cells

2012 ◽  
Vol 1426 ◽  
pp. 39-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karin Söderström ◽  
Grégory Bugnon ◽  
Franz-Josef Haug ◽  
Christophe Ballif
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Relative Efficiency ◽  
Light Trapping ◽  
Open Circuit ◽  
High Light ◽  
Silicon Solar Cells ◽  
Efficiency Gain ◽  
Microcrystalline Silicon ◽  
Flat Interface ◽  
Open Circuit Voltages

ABSTRACTSubstrates with extremely low roughness to allow the growth of good-quality silicon material but that nevertheless present high light trapping properties are presented. In a first application, silver reflectors are used in single and tandem-junction amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) solar cells. High initial (stable) efficiencies of 10.4 % (8.1 %) for single-junction a-Si:H cells on glass and 11.1 % (9.2 %) for tandem-junction a-Si:H/a-Si:H cells on plastic are obtained. A second application better suited to multi-junction solar cells based on microcrystalline silicon (μc-Si:H) solar cells is presented: the substrate consists of rough zinc oxide (ZnO) grown on a flat silver reflector which is covered with a-Si:H; polishing of this structure yields an a-Si:H/ZnO interface that provides high light scattering even though the cell is deposited on a flat interface. We present results of ∼ 4-μm-thick μc-Si:H solar cells prepared on such substrates with high open-circuit voltages of 520 mV. A large relative efficiency gain of 20% is observed compared to a co-deposited cell grown directly on an optimized textured substrate.

Microcrystalline Single-Junction and Micromorph Tandem Thin Film Silicon Solar Cells

1998 ◽  
Vol 507 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Meier ◽  
H. Keppner ◽  
S. Dubail ◽  
U. Kroll ◽  
P. Torres ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Fill Factor ◽  
Open Circuit ◽  
Silicon Solar Cells ◽  
Microcrystalline Silicon ◽  
Temperature Dependent ◽  
Cell Temperature ◽  
Recombination Mechanism ◽  
Tandem Cell ◽  
Open Circuit Voltages

ABSTRACTHigher open circuit voltages of the microcrystalline silicon bottom cell have a direct impact on the efficiency of the micromorph (μc-Si:H/a-Si:H) tandem cell. In this paper it is shown that open circuit voltages over 500 mV can be achieved leading to gc-Si:H cell efficiencies of 8.5 %. The behaviour of such cells is characterised both by the illuminated and the dark I-V characteristics in function of cell temperature. Microcrystalline cells with Voc-values higher than 500 mV and micromorph tandems possess in general a lower value of the temperature coefficient of the fill factor and thus of the efficiency, when compared to c-Si. Temperature-dependent dark I-V measurements suggest that the dominant recombination mechanism in lgc-Si:H cells is different from that prevailing in a-Si:H solar cells.

Microcrystalline silicon solar cells with passivated interfaces for high open-circuit voltage

2015 ◽  
Vol 212 (4) ◽  
pp. 840-845 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Hänni ◽  
Mathieu Boccard ◽  
Grégory Bugnon ◽  
Matthieu Despeisse ◽  
Jan-Willem Schüttauf ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Open Circuit Voltage ◽  
Open Circuit ◽  
Silicon Solar Cells ◽  
Microcrystalline Silicon

scholarly journals Analytical Models of Bulk and Quantum Well Solar Cells and Relevance of the Radiative Limit

2012 ◽  
pp. 59-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
James P. Connolly
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Quantum Well ◽  
Space Charge ◽  
Radiative Recombination ◽  
Light Trapping ◽  
Open Circuit ◽  
Analytical Models ◽  
Injection Currents ◽  
Photon Recycling ◽  
Open Circuit Voltages

The analytical modelling of bulk and quantum well solar cells is reviewed. The analytical approach allows explicit estimates of dominant generation and recombination mechanisms at work in charge neutral and space charge layers of the cells. Consistency of the analysis of cell characteristics in the light and in the dark leaves a single free parameter, which is the mean Shockley-Read-Hall lifetime. Bulk PIN cells are shown to be inherently dominated by non-radiative recombination as a result of the doping related non-radiative fraction of the Shockley injection currents. Quantum well PIN solar cells on the other hand are shown to operate in the radiative limit as a result of the dominance of radiative recombination in the space charge region. These features are exploited using light trapping techniques leading to photon recycling and reduced radiative recombination. The conclusion is that the mirror backed quantum well solar cell device features open circuit voltages determined mainly by the higher bandgap neutral layers, with an absorption threshold determined by the lower gap quantum well superlattice.

Bifacial heterojunction silicon solar cells by hot-wire CVD with open-circuit voltages exceeding 600 mV

2006 ◽  
Vol 511-512 ◽  
pp. 415-419 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Voz ◽  
D. Muñoz ◽  
M. Fonrodona ◽  
I. Martin ◽  
J. Puigdollers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Open Circuit ◽  
Silicon Solar Cells ◽  
Hot Wire ◽  
Open Circuit Voltages

Experimental studies and limitations of the light trapping and optical losses in microcrystalline silicon solar cells

2008 ◽  
Vol 92 (9) ◽  
pp. 1037-1042 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Berginski ◽  
Jürgen Hüpkes ◽  
Aad Gordijn ◽  
Wilfried Reetz ◽  
Timo Wätjen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Light Trapping ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Silicon Solar Cells ◽  
Optical Losses ◽  
Microcrystalline Silicon
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