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Hydrogenated Microcrystalline Silicon: From Material to Solar Cells

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 March 2011

N. Wyrsch ,
C. Droz ,
L. Feitknecht ,
M. Goerlitzer ,
U. Kroll ,
J. Meier ,
P. Torres ,
E. VallatSauvain ,
A. Shah  and
M. Vanecek
N. Wyrsch
Affiliation:
Institut de Microtechnique, Université de Neuchâtel, Breguet 2, CH-2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
C. Droz
Affiliation:
Institut de Microtechnique, Université de Neuchâtel, Breguet 2, CH-2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
L. Feitknecht
Affiliation:
Institut de Microtechnique, Université de Neuchâtel, Breguet 2, CH-2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
M. Goerlitzer
Affiliation:
Institut de Microtechnique, Université de Neuchâtel, Breguet 2, CH-2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
U. Kroll
Affiliation:
Institut de Microtechnique, Université de Neuchâtel, Breguet 2, CH-2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
J. Meier
Affiliation:
Institut de Microtechnique, Université de Neuchâtel, Breguet 2, CH-2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
P. Torres
Affiliation:
Institut de Microtechnique, Université de Neuchâtel, Breguet 2, CH-2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
E. VallatSauvain
Affiliation:
Institut de Microtechnique, Université de Neuchâtel, Breguet 2, CH-2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
A. Shah
Affiliation:
Institut de Microtechnique, Université de Neuchâtel, Breguet 2, CH-2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
M. Vanecek
Affiliation:
Institute of Physics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Cukrovarnicka 10, Prague 6, CZ-16200 Czech Republic
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Abstract

Undoped hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon (νc-Si:H) layers and solar cells have been deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapour at low temperature and at different values of VHF plasma power and silane to hydrogen dilution ratios. Transport and defect density measurements on layers suggest that structural properties (e.g. crystallite shape and size) only marginally influence the electronic transport properties. The latter are influenced strongly by the Fermi level, which depends on the oxygen impurity content. Furthermore, they are best described by the quality parameter ν0τ0 (deduced from photoconductivity and ambipolar diffusion length). Cell efficiency correlates better with νoτ0 than with the defect density as determined from subbandgap absorption. Anisotropy of the transport properties in some νc-Si:H is also demonstrated but does not seem to play a major role in νc-Si:H cells deposited at high rates under VHF glow discharge conditions.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 609: Symposium A – Amorphous & Heterogeneous Silicon Thin Films – 2000 , 2000 , A15.1
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2000

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References

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