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Surface passivation of high‐efficiency silicon solar cells by atomic‐layer‐deposited Al 2 O 3
Author(s) -
Schmidt J.,
Merkle A.,
Brendel R.,
Hoex B.,
de Sanden M. C. M. van,
Kessels W. M. M.
Publication year - 2008
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.823
Subject(s) - passivation , materials science , silicon , layer (electronics) , aluminium , aluminium oxide , dielectric , common emitter , solar cell , oxide , aluminum oxide , energy conversion efficiency , optoelectronics , stack (abstract data type) , atomic layer deposition , analytical chemistry (journal) , nanotechnology , metallurgy , chemistry , chromatography , computer science , programming language
Atomic‐layer‐deposited aluminium oxide (Al 2 O 3 ) is applied as rear‐surface‐passivating dielectric layer to passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC)‐type crystalline silicon (c‐Si) solar cells. The excellent passivation of low‐resistivity p ‐type silicon by the negative‐charge‐dielectric Al 2 O 3 is confirmed on the device level by an independently confirmed energy conversion efficiency of 20·6%. The best results are obtained for a stack consisting of a 30 nm Al 2 O 3 film covered by a 200 nm plasma‐enhanced‐chemical‐vapour‐deposited silicon oxide (SiO x ) layer, resulting in a rear surface recombination velocity (SRV) of 70 cm/s. Comparable results are obtained for a 130 nm single‐layer of Al 2 O 3 , resulting in a rear SRV of 90 cm/s. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.