Influence of phosphorus external gettering on recombination activity and passivation of defects in polycrystalline silicon

Author

Martinuzzi, S. ; El Ghitani, H. ; Sarti, D. ; Torchio, P.

Author_Institution

Lab. de Photoelectr. des Semi-Conducteurs, Marseille Univ., France

fYear

1988

fDate

1988

Firstpage

1575

Abstract

Pregettering by phosphorus diffusion at temperatures between 800 and 1050 degrees C within the surface is shown to improve the electron diffusion length L_n in p-type polycrystalline silicon wafers. Provided the temperature is below 950 degrees C it is found that these treatments reduce the dislocation etch pit and the bulk recombination center densities in the material. Consequently, L_n increases. It is also found that the effect of passivation by hydrogen is drastically enhanced in treated samples. The two treatments are compatible with solar cell preparation techniques and could be applied to improve or to homogenize their efficiency.

Keywords

carrier lifetime; diffusion in solids; dislocation etching; electron-hole recombination; elemental semiconductors; getters; passivation; phosphorus; silicon; solar cells; 800 to 1050 degC; P diffusion; P external gettering; Si:P; bulk recombination center densities; defect passivation; dislocation etch pit; efficiency; electron diffusion length; p-type; polycrystalline; pregettering; recombination activity; solar cell preparation techniques; Electrons; Etching; Gettering; Hydrogen; Passivation; Photovoltaic cells; Silicon; Spontaneous emission; Surface treatment; Temperature;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 1988., Conference Record of the Twentieth IEEE

Conference_Location

Las Vegas, NV, USA

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/PVSC.1988.105975

Filename

105975