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Passivation of Interfaces in High-Efficiency Photovoltaic Devices

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

Sarah R. Kurtz ,
J. M. Olson ,
D. J. Friedman ,
J. F. Geisz ,
K. A. Bertness  and
A. E. Kibbler
Sarah R. Kurtz
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), 1617 Cole Blvd., Golden, CO 80401, Sarah_Kurtz@nrel.gov
J. M. Olson
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), 1617 Cole Blvd., Golden, CO 80401, Sarah_Kurtz@nrel.gov
D. J. Friedman
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), 1617 Cole Blvd., Golden, CO 80401, Sarah_Kurtz@nrel.gov
J. F. Geisz
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), 1617 Cole Blvd., Golden, CO 80401, Sarah_Kurtz@nrel.gov
K. A. Bertness
Affiliation:
NIST, 325 Broadway, Boulder, CO, 80303
A. E. Kibbler
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), 1617 Cole Blvd., Golden, CO 80401, Sarah_Kurtz@nrel.gov
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Abstract

Solar cells made from III–V materials have achieved efficiencies greater than 30%. Effectively ideal passivation plays an important role in achieving these high efficiencies. Standard modeling techniques are applied to Ga0.5In0.5P solar cells to show the effects of passivation. Accurate knowledge of the absorption coefficient is essential (see appendix). Although ultralow (<2 cm/s) interface recombination velocities have been reported, in practice, it is difficult to achieve such low recombination velocities in solar cells because the doping levels are high and because of accidental incorporation of impurities and dopant diffusion. Examples are given of how dopant diffusion can both help and hinder interface passivation, and of how incorporation of oxygen or hydrogen can cause problems.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 573: Symposium Z – Compound Semiconductor Surface Passivation and Novel Device.. , 1999 , 95
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1999

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References

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