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p-type Window Layers for pin Solar Cells Entirely Fabricated by Hot-Wire CVD

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 March 2011

Urban Weber ,
Markus Koob ,
Chandrachur Mukherjee ,
D. Chandrashekhar  and
Rajiv O. Dusane
Urban Weber
Affiliation:
Dept. of Met. Engg. & Materials Science, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, India
Markus Koob
Affiliation:
Dept. of Met. Engg. & Materials Science, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, India
Chandrachur Mukherjee
Affiliation:
Dept. of Met. Engg. & Materials Science, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, India
D. Chandrashekhar
Affiliation:
Dept. of Met. Engg. & Materials Science, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, India
Rajiv O. Dusane
Affiliation:
Bernd Schroeder Dept. of Physics and Research Center of Materials Science, University of Kaiserslautern, Kaiserslautern, Germany
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Abstract

We investigate a-SiC:H p-layer deposition for a-Si:H-based solar cells by Hot-Wire CVD using alternatively methane, ethane, and acetylene. Carbon incorporation in the film results from gas-phase reactions and not from direct dissociation at the hot filament for all hydrocarbon gases. Ethane can be dissociated more easily than methane allowing less extreme deposition conditions. With all types of materials the requirements of high dark conductivity and high band gap for the use as window layers in solar cells can be fulfilled. Highest conductivity is observed with ethane indicating a better network structure, which is supported by the IR signatures. A larger band gap (>2 eV) can be obtained at a similar conductivity with the use of acetylene. We compare these results with the utilization of [.proportional]c-Si:H p-layers. All types of p-layers are incorporated into pin solar cells. Methane- and ethane-based a-SiC:H-p-layers yield similar Voc and FF (∼850 mV and 72%). Acetylene-p-layer-based solar cells yield higher current and higher Voc (890 mV) but lower fill factor (∼67%). Microcrystalline p-layers improve Voc and FF up to 900 mV and 72%, respectively, however higher absorption leads to lower short circuit current and prevents an increase of initial efficiency beyond 8%. Using ethane for p-layer deposition, a significant improvement of the stability of all-Hot-Wire CVD pin solar cells is achieved.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 664: Symposium A – Amorphous and Heterogeneous Silicon-Based Films-2001 , 2001 , A3.6
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2001

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References

REFERENCE

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