Si-based new material for high-efficiency thin film solar cells

Current status and future prospects towards BaSi₂ pn junction solar cells are presented. As a preliminary step toward forming a BaSi₂ pn junction diode, a Cr/n-BaSi₂ Schottky junction and an n-BaSi₂/p-Si hetero-junction have been fabricated to investigate the electrical properties of the n-BaSi₂. Clear rectifying properties have been observed in the J-V characteristics of both the Schottky junction and the p-n junction. From the C-V measurements, the Schottky barrier height of the Cr/n-BaSi₂ junction was 0.73 eV, the build-in potential was 0.53 eV, and the built-in potential of the hetero-junction was about 1.5 V, which was coincident with the Fermi level difference between p-Si and n-BaSi₂.