Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-75dct Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-02T01:49:53.584Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Defect Density Profiling in Light-Soaked and Annealed Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon Solar Cells

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 March 2011

Richard S. Crandall ,
Jeffrey Yang  and
Subhendu Guha
Richard S. Crandall
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401, rsc@nrel.gov
Jeffrey Yang
Affiliation:
United Solar Systems Corp., Troy, MI, 48084
Subhendu Guha
Affiliation:
United Solar Systems Corp., Troy, MI, 48084
Get access

Abstract

The fundamental ingredient lacking in solar cell modeling is the spatial distribution of defects. To gain this information, we use drive-level capacitance profiling (DLCP) on hydrogenated amorphous silicon solar cells. We find the following: Near the p-i interface the defect density is high, decreasing rapidly into the interior, reaching low values in the central region of the cell, and rising rapidly again at the n-i interface. The states in the central region are neutral dangling-bond defects whose density agrees with those typically found in similar films. However, those near the interfaces with the doped layers are charged dangling bonds in agreement with the predictions of defect thermodynamics. We correlate the changes in solar cell efficiency owing to intense illumination with changes in the defect density throughout the cell. Defects in the central region of the cell increase to values typically found in companion films. We describe the measurements and interpretation of DLCP for solar cells with the aid of a solar cell simulation.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 664: Symposium A – Amorphous and Heterogeneous Silicon-Based Films-2001 , 2001 , A19.2
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2001

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1. Branz, H. M., and Crandall, R.S., Solar Cells, 27, 159–168, (1989).Google Scholar
2. Crandall, R.S., and Branz, H.B., Proc. IEEE PV Spec. Conf.-1990, II, 1630, (1990).Google Scholar
3. Crandall, R.S., and Wang, Q., Proc. IEEE PV Spec. Conf.-1996,1117, (1996)Google Scholar
4. Lubianiker, Y. et al. , Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc., 557, 139.Google Scholar
5. Arch, J.K., Rubinelli, F.A., and Fonash, S.J., J. App. Phys., 69, 7057, (1991).Google Scholar
6. Guha, S. et al. , J Non-Cryst Solids, 97–98, 1455, (1988).Google Scholar
7. Tsuo, Y.S., and Luft, W., Applied Phys. Commun., 10, 71, (1990).Google Scholar
8. Michelson, C.E., Gelatos, A.V., and Cohen, J.D., Appl. Phys. Lett., 47, 412, (1985).Google Scholar
9. Roberts, G.I., and Crowell, C.I., J. Appl. Phys., 41, 1767, (1970).Google Scholar
10. Unold, T., Hautala, J., and Cohen, J.D., Phys Rev B-Condensed Matter, 50, 16985–16994, (1994).Google Scholar
11. Crandall, R.S., J. Appl. Phys., 55, 4418, (1984).Google Scholar
12. Wang, Q., and Crandall, R.S., Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc., 420, 215 (1996).Google Scholar