Effect of doping-induced defect concentration on the characteristics of Si-quantum-dot solar cells

In summary, p-type (or n-type) Si QDs/n-type (or p-type) crystalline-Si solar cells were successfully fabricated by ion beam sputtering and annealing, and their photovoltaic and luminescence properties were studied as functions of doping element and concentration. The active doping of B into the Si quantum dots was successfully proved to be due to the preferred diffusion of B into Si QDs by SIMS depth profiling analysis of B-doped Si02/B-doped Si multilayer film before and after annealing. The B-doped Si-QD solar cells showed close correlation of the photovoltaic properties with the NC/defect PL behaviors. Possible physical mechanisms will be discussed based on the doping-dependent experimental results for various doping elements.