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Bulk passivation of multicrystalline silicon solar cells induced by high‐rate‐deposited (> 1 nm/s) silicon nitride films
Author(s) -
Hong J.,
Kessels W. M. M.,
van Assche F. J. H.,
Rieffe H. C.,
Soppe W. J.,
Weeber A. W.,
van de Sanden M. C. M.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
progress in photovoltaics: research and applications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.286
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1099-159X
pISSN - 1062-7995
DOI - 10.1002/pip.468
Subject(s) - passivation , silicon nitride , materials science , silicon , nitride , plasma , solar cell , thermal stability , quantum efficiency , analytical chemistry (journal) , metallurgy , optoelectronics , chemical engineering , nanotechnology , chemistry , layer (electronics) , physics , quantum mechanics , chromatography , engineering
Silicon nitride (a‐SiN x :H) films deposited by the expanding thermal plasma at high rate (> 1 nm/s) have been studied for application as anti‐reflection coatings for multicrystalline silicon (mc‐Si) solar cells. Internal quantum efficiency measurements have revealed that bulk passivation is achieved after a firing‐through process of the a‐SiN x :H as deposited from NH 3 /SiH 4 and N 2 /SiH 4 plasmas. However, the a‐SiN x :H films deposited from N 2 /SiH 4 show a lower passivation quality than those deposited from NH 3 /SiH 4 . This has been attributed to a poorer thermal stability of the films deposited from the N 2 /SiH 4 plasma, resulting in structural changes within the film during the firing step. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.