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Microcrystalline Silicon Solar Cell Deposited Using Modified Very-High-Frequency Glow Discharge and Its Application in Multi-junction Structures

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 March 2011

Guozhen Yue
Affiliation:
United Solar Ovonic Corporation, 1100 West Maple Rd., Troy, MI 48084, U.S.A.
Baojie Yan
Affiliation:
United Solar Ovonic Corporation, 1100 West Maple Rd., Troy, MI 48084, U.S.A.
Jessica M. Owens
Affiliation:
United Solar Ovonic Corporation, 1100 West Maple Rd., Troy, MI 48084, U.S.A.
Jeffrey Yang
Affiliation:
United Solar Ovonic Corporation, 1100 West Maple Rd., Troy, MI 48084, U.S.A.
Subhendu Guha
Affiliation:
United Solar Ovonic Corporation, 1100 West Maple Rd., Troy, MI 48084, U.S.A.
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Abstract

We have used the modified very-high-frequency glow discharge technique to deposit hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon (m c-Si:H) solar cells at high rates for use as the bottom cell in a multi-junction structure. We have investigated c-Si:H single-junction, a-Si:H/ c-Si:H double-junction, and a-Si:H/a-SiGe:H/m c-Si:H triple-junction solar cells and achieved initial active area efficiencies of 7.7%, 12.5%, and 12.4%, respectively. Issues related to improving material properties and device structures are addressed. By taking advantage of a lower degradation in m c-Si:H than a-Si:H and a-SiGe:H alloys, we have minimized the light induced effect in multi-junction structures by designing a bottom-cell-limited current mismatching. As a result, we have obtained a stable active-area cell efficiency of 11.2% with an a-Si:H/a-SiGe:H/μ c-Si:H triple-junction structure.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2004

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References

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