Improving performance of superstrate p-i-n a-Si solar cells by optimization of n/TCO/metal back contacts

Author

Hegedus, Steven S. ; Buchanan, Wayne A. ; Eser, Erten

Author_Institution

Inst. of Energy Conversion, Delaware Univ., Newark, DE, USA

fYear

1997

fDate

29 Sep-3 Oct 1997

Firstpage

603

Lastpage

606

Abstract

A comprehensive study of the n-layer and back contact for superstrate (glass/textured SnO₂-p-i-n/TCO/metal) a-Si solar cells is presented. In particular, the difference between a-Si and μc-Si n-layers are compared. These results show that the efficiency can be improved from 7% to 10% (absolute) by optimizing the back contact layers to incorporate a good optical back reflector. A rectifying contact is formed between the TCO and a-Si n-layer which reduces FF. A μc-Si n-layer eliminates the blocking n/TCO contact. Results suggest that the n/TCO interface has a controlling influence. ZnO gives ~1 mA/cm ² higher J_sc compared to ITO. The best contacts are μc-Si/ZnO/metal

Keywords

amorphous semiconductors; elemental semiconductors; optimisation; semiconductor device testing; semiconductor-metal boundaries; silicon; solar cells; Si; SnO₂; ZnO; a-Si p-i-n solar cells; back contact layers optimisation; device performance improvement; fill factor; optical back reflector; rectifying contact; Absorption; Argon; Conductivity; Contacts; Glass; Indium tin oxide; Optical reflection; PIN photodiodes; Photovoltaic cells; Zinc oxide;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 1997., Conference Record of the Twenty-Sixth IEEE

Conference_Location

Anaheim, CA

ISSN

0160-8371

Print_ISBN

0-7803-3767-0

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/PVSC.1997.654161

Filename

654161