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Decoupling crystalline volume fraction and V OC in microcrystalline silicon pin solar cells by using a µc‐Si:F:H intrinsic layer
Author(s) -
Zhang Q.,
Johnson E. V.,
Djeridane Y.,
Abramov A.,
Cabarrocas P. Roca i
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
physica status solidi (rrl) – rapid research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.786
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1862-6270
pISSN - 1862-6254
DOI - 10.1002/pssr.200802106
Subject(s) - open circuit voltage , volume fraction , materials science , analytical chemistry (journal) , solar cell , plasma , hydrogen , layer (electronics) , short circuit , silicon , microcrystalline , chemical vapor deposition , thin film , optoelectronics , voltage , chemistry , nanotechnology , composite material , electrical engineering , crystallography , chromatography , physics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics , engineering
Microcrystalline silicon thin film pin solar cells with a highly crystallized intrinsic μc‐Si:F:H absorber were prepared by RF‐plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition using SiF 4 as the gas precursor. The cells were produced with a vacuum break between the doped layer and intrinsic layer depositions, and the effect of different subsequent interface treatment processes was studied. The use of an intrinsic μc‐Si:H p/i buffer layer before the first air break increased the short circuit current density from 22.3 mA/cm 2 to 24.7 mA/cm 2 . However, the use of a hydrogen‐plasma treatment after both air breaks without an interface buffer layer improved both the open circuit voltage and the fill factor. Although the material used for the absorber layer showed a very high crystalline fraction and thus an increased spectral response at long wavelengths, an open‐circuit voltage ( V OC ) of 0.523 V was nevertheless observed. Such a value of V OC is higher than is typically obtained in devices that employ a highly crystallized absorber as reported in the literature (see abstract figure). Using a hydrogen‐plasma treatment, a single junction μc‐Si:F:H pin solar cell with an efficiency of 8.3% was achieved.(© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)