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Photoconductivity Stability Improvement in Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon by Ultraviolet Illumination

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Howard M. Branz ,
Yueqin Xu ,
Stephan Heck ,
Qi Wang ,
Wei Gao ,
Richard S. Crandall  and
Brent P. Nelson
Howard M. Branz
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory Golden, CO 80401 USA
Yueqin Xu
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory Golden, CO 80401 USA
Stephan Heck
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory Golden, CO 80401 USA
Qi Wang
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory Golden, CO 80401 USA
Wei Gao
Affiliation:
present address: Sharp Corporation, Camas, WA USA 98607
Richard S. Crandall
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory Golden, CO 80401 USA
Brent P. Nelson
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory Golden, CO 80401 USA
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Abstract

We observe improved photoconductivity stability against light-soaking in hydrogenated amorphous silicon thin films as a result of an ultraviolet (UV) illumination and etch treatment. UV-etch treated samples begins with red-light photoconductivities inferior to that of a control sample which is only etched. After less than an hour of 1 sun red light-soaking, the photoconductivity of the etched-only control falls below that of the UV-etch treated sample. After 2 to 3 days light soaking, the UV-etch films can have a photosensitivity 20 to 38% above their control. We observe no corresponding improvement of defect optical absorption by constant photocurrent method spectroscopy. The UV-etch treatment also produces small improvements in the stabilized open-circuit voltage of Schottky barier solar cells. We speculate that mobile hydrogen produced during UV illumination is penetrating the film and improving stability.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 715: Symposium A – Amorphous and Heterogeneous Silicon-Based Films-2002 , 2002 , A19.11
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2002

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