Fine-grained nanocrystalline silicon p-layer for high open circuit voltage a-Si:H solar cells

Author

Du, Wenhui ; Liao, Xianbo ; Yang, Xiesen ; Xiang, Xianbi ; Deng, Xunming ; Sun, Kai

Author_Institution

Dept of Phys. & Astron., Toledo Univ., OH, USA

fYear

2005

Firstpage

1401

Lastpage

1403

Abstract

Hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) single-junction solar cells with high open circuit voltage (V_oc) are fabricated using a wide bandgap boron doped Si:H p-layer deposited at high hydrogen dilution, low substrate temperature and with H₂-plasma treatment that promotes nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si:H) formation. This paper presents the structure of this p-type material characterized by Raman scattering spectroscopy and high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM). It is found that the p-layer that leads to high V_oc a-Si:H solar cells is a mixed-phase material that contains fine-grained nc-Si:H embedded in a-Si:H matrix.

Keywords

Raman spectra; amorphous semiconductors; boron; elemental semiconductors; hydrogen; nanostructured materials; semiconductor thin films; silicon; solar cells; transmission electron microscopy; wide band gap semiconductors; HRTEM; Raman scattering spectroscopy; Si:H; fine-grained nanocrystalline silicon p-layer; high resolution transmission electron microscope; hydrogenated amorphous silicon single-junction solar cells; mixed-phase material; open circuit voltage; plasma treatment; wide bandgap boron doped p-layer; Amorphous silicon; Boron; Circuits; Hydrogen; Photonic band gap; Photovoltaic cells; Raman scattering; Spectroscopy; Temperature; Voltage;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 2005. Conference Record of the Thirty-first IEEE

ISSN

0160-8371

Print_ISBN

0-7803-8707-4

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/PVSC.2005.1488402

Filename

1488402