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Effects of Structural Properties of νc-Si:H Absorber Layers on Solar Cell Performance

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 March 2011

O. Vetterl ,
R. Carius ,
L. Houben ,
C. Scholten ,
M. Luysberg ,
A. Lambertz ,
F. Finger  and
H. Wagner
O. Vetterl
Affiliation:
Institut für Photovoltaik, Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich, Germany
R. Carius
Affiliation:
Institut für Photovoltaik, Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich, Germany
L. Houben
Affiliation:
Institut für Festkörperphysik, Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich, GermanyElectronic mail:o.vetterl@fz-juelich.de
C. Scholten
Affiliation:
Institut für Festkörperphysik, Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich, GermanyElectronic mail:o.vetterl@fz-juelich.de
M. Luysberg
Affiliation:
Institut für Festkörperphysik, Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich, GermanyElectronic mail:o.vetterl@fz-juelich.de
A. Lambertz
Affiliation:
Institut für Photovoltaik, Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich, Germany
F. Finger
Affiliation:
Institut für Photovoltaik, Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich, Germany
H. Wagner
Affiliation:
Institut für Photovoltaik, Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich, Germany
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Abstract

Thin film microcrystalline silicon solar cells with absorber layers of various structural composition have been prepared. The highest conversion efficiency is observed at preparation conditions close to the transition to the amorphous growth regime, i.e. crystalline volume fraction is high but not at its maximum. The optimized material consists of crystalline “fibers” with small diameter which extend through the whole absorber layer. On further approach to the transition regime a set in of amorphous growth can be observed, resulting in decreasing solar cell performance. Surprisingly, material prepared under conditions favoring highly crystalline growth exhibits a less efficient carrier extraction if applied to the solar cell. We discuss increasing bulk recombination as possible cause for this observation. The maximum conversion efficiency obtained was 8.7 % for a 1 νm single junction solar cell. Using our optimized deposition conditions with simultaneously higher discharge powers the deposition rate can be increased up to 4.6 Å/s at the high efficiency of 8.3 %.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 609: Symposium A – Amorphous & Heterogeneous Silicon Thin Films – 2000 , 2000 , A15.2
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2000

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References

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