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Microstructure Evolution with Thickness and Hydrogen Dilution Profile in Microcrystalline Silicon Solar Cells

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 March 2011

Baojie Yan ,
Guozhen Yue ,
Jeffrey Yang ,
Subhendu Guha ,
D. L. Williamson ,
Daxing Han  and
Chun-Sheng Jiang
Baojie Yan
Affiliation:
United Solar Ovonic Corporation, 1100 West Maple Road, Troy, MI 48084
Guozhen Yue
Affiliation:
United Solar Ovonic Corporation, 1100 West Maple Road, Troy, MI 48084
Jeffrey Yang
Affiliation:
United Solar Ovonic Corporation, 1100 West Maple Road, Troy, MI 48084
Subhendu Guha
Affiliation:
United Solar Ovonic Corporation, 1100 West Maple Road, Troy, MI 48084
D. L. Williamson
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401
Daxing Han
Affiliation:
Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill NC 27599-3255
Chun-Sheng Jiang
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401
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Abstract

Hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon (m c-Si:H) solar cells with different thicknesses were deposited on specular stainless steel substrates and on textured Ag/ZnO back reflectors using RF and modified very high frequency glow discharge at various deposition rates. Raman spectra and X-ray diffraction patterns exhibit a significant increase of microcrystalline volume fraction and in grain size with film thickness. Atomic force microscopy reveals an increase in the size of microstructural features and the surface roughness with increasing thickness. Based on these results, we believe that the increase of the microcrystalline phase with thickness is the main reason for the deterioration of cell performance with the thickness of the intrinsic layer. To overcome this problem, we have developed a procedure of varying the hydrogen dilution ratio during deposition. Using this method, we have been successful in controlling the microstructure evolution and achieved an initial active-area efficiency of 8.4% for a c-Si:H single-junction solar cell, and 13.6% for an a-Si:H/a-SiGe:H/m c-Si:H triple-junction solar cell.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 808: Symposium A – Amorphous and Nanocrystaline Silicon Science and Technology-2004 , 2004 , A8.5
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2004

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References

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