Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-p566r Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-28T20:28:07.337Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Microcrystalline Si and (Si,Ge) Solar Cells

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 March 2011

Vikram L. Dalal
Affiliation:
Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engr., Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011
Tim Maxson
Affiliation:
Microelectronics Research Center, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011
Kay Han
Affiliation:
Microelectronics Research Center, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011
Get access

Abstract

We report on the growth of microcrystalline Si and (Si,Ge) cells on stainless steel substrates. The devices were grown using a remote, low pressure, ECR growth technique at low temperatures (250-350 C). The precursor gases were silane, germane and hydrogen. The devices were of the p-i-n type, with light incident on the p layer. The p layer was a-(Si,C). A novel interface buffer layer, consisting of an amorphous alloy whose bandgap was graded from 1.3 eV to 1.9 eV was used to match the crystalline base layer with the higher gap p layer. It was found that the properties of this buffer layer were critical in determining the properties of the resulting device. The buffer layer was found to increase the voltage by almost 20%. Cells with high fill factors were made using this technique. The quantum efficiency data indicated that the base layers had absorption characteristic of crystalline materials.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2000

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. Meier, J. et al. , Appl. Phys. Lett., 65, 860(1994)Google Scholar
2. Meier, J. et al. , Proc. Of Mater. Res. Soc., 507, 139(1998)Google Scholar
3. Wang, Q. et al. , Proc. Of Mater. Res. Soc., 507, 903(1998)Google Scholar
4. Meiling, H. et al. , Proc. Of Mater. Res. Soc., 507, 31(1998)Google Scholar
5. Chen, Y. and Wagner, S., Proc. Of Mater. Res. Soc., 557, 665(1998)Google Scholar
6. Rath, J. K. et al. , Proc. Of Mater. Res. Soc., 507, 879(1998)Google Scholar
7. Shah, A. et al. , Proc. Of 26th. IEEE Photovolt. Spec. Conf., 569(1997)Google Scholar
8. Dalal, V. L. and Kaushal, S., Proc. Of Mater. Res. Soc., 377, 177(1995)Google Scholar
9. Dalal, V. L. et al. , Appl. Phys. Lett., 64, 1862(1994)Google Scholar
10. Dalal, V. L. et al. , J. Non-Cryst. Solids (2000) To be published.Google Scholar