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Thin Film a-Si/poly-Si Multibandgap Tandem Solar Cells With Both Absorber Layers Deposited by Hot Wire Cvd

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 March 2011

R.E.I. Schropp ,
C.H.M. Van Der Werf ,
M.K. Van Veen ,
P.A.T.T. Van Veenendaal ,
R. Jimenez Zambrano ,
Z. Hartman ,
J. Löffler  and
J.K. Rath
R.E.I. Schropp
Affiliation:
Utrecht University, Debye Institute, Physics of Devices, P.O.Box 80000, 3508 TA Utrecht, The Netherlands
C.H.M. Van Der Werf
Affiliation:
Utrecht University, Debye Institute, Physics of Devices, P.O.Box 80000, 3508 TA Utrecht, The Netherlands
M.K. Van Veen
Affiliation:
Utrecht University, Debye Institute, Physics of Devices, P.O.Box 80000, 3508 TA Utrecht, The Netherlands
P.A.T.T. Van Veenendaal
Affiliation:
Utrecht University, Debye Institute, Physics of Devices, P.O.Box 80000, 3508 TA Utrecht, The Netherlands
R. Jimenez Zambrano
Affiliation:
Utrecht University, Debye Institute, Physics of Devices, P.O.Box 80000, 3508 TA Utrecht, The Netherlands
Z. Hartman
Affiliation:
Utrecht University, Debye Institute, Physics of Devices, P.O.Box 80000, 3508 TA Utrecht, The Netherlands
J. Löffler
Affiliation:
Utrecht University, Debye Institute, Physics of Devices, P.O.Box 80000, 3508 TA Utrecht, The Netherlands
J.K. Rath
Affiliation:
Utrecht University, Debye Institute, Physics of Devices, P.O.Box 80000, 3508 TA Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Abstract

The first competitive a-Si/poly-Si multibandgap tandem cells have been made in which the two intrinsic absorber layers are deposited by Hot Wire Chemical Vapor Deposition (HWCVD). These cells consist of two stacked n-i-p type solar cells on a plain stainless steel substrate using plasma deposited n- and p-type doped layers and Hot-Wire deposited intrinsic (i) layers, where the i-layer is either amorphous (band gap 1.8 eV) or polycrystalline (band gap 1.1 eV). In this tandem configuration, all doped layers are microcrystalline and the two intrinsic layers are made by decomposing mixtures of silane and hydrogen at hot filaments in the vicinity of the substrate. For the two layers we used individually optimized parameters, such as gas pressure, hydrogen dilution ratio, substrate temperature, filament temperature, and filament material. The solar cells do not comprise an enhanced back reflector, but feature a natural mechanism for light trapping, due to the texture of the (220) oriented poly-Si absorber layer and the fact that all subsequent layers are deposited conformally. The deposition rate for the throughput limiting step, the poly-Si i-layer, is ≍ 5-6 Å/s. This layer also determines the highest substrate temperature required during the preparation of these tandem cells (500 °C). The initial efficiency obtained for these tandem cells is 8.1 %. The total thickness of the silicon nip/nip structure is only 1.1 µm.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 664: Symposium A – Amorphous and Heterogeneous Silicon-Based Films-2001 , 2001 , A15.6
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2001

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References

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