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Journal of Applied Physics / Volume 104 / Issue 10 / DEVICE PHYSICS
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J. Appl. Phys. 104, 104505 (2008); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3021053 (8 pages)

N/I buffer layer for substrate microcrystalline thin film silicon solar cell

T. Söderström, F.-J. Haug, V. Terrazzoni-Daudrix, X. Niquille, M. Python, and C. Ballif

Institute of Microtechnology, University of Neuchâtel, Rue A.-L. Breguet 2, CH-2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland

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(Received 13 June 2008; accepted 26 September 2008; published online 20 November 2008)

The influence of the substrate surface morphology on the performance of microcrystalline silicon solar cells in the substrate or n-i-p (nip) configuration is studied in this paper. The experiments are carried out on glass substrates coated with naturally textured films of ZnO deposited by low pressure chemical vapor deposition which serves as backcontact and as template for the light trapping texture. The film surface morphology can be modified with a plasma treatment which smoothens the V-shaped valleys to a more U-shaped form. We investigate, first, the influence of different substrates morphologies on the performance of microcrystalline (μc-Si:H) thin film silicon solar cells deposited by very high frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The V-shaped morphologies are found to have strong light trapping capabilities but to be detrimental for the μc-Si:H material growth and lead to degraded open circuit voltage (Voc) and fill factor (FF) of the solar cells. Hence, in Sec. 3B, we introduce a buffer layer with a higher amorphous fraction between the n doped and intrinsic layer. Our study reveals that the buffer layer limits the formation of voids and porous areas in the μc-Si:H material on substrates with strong light trapping capabilities. Indeed, this layer mitigates Voc and FF losses which enhances the performance of the μc-Si:H solar cell. Finally, by applying our findings, we report an efficiency of 9% for a nip μc-Si:H thin film silicon cell with a thickness of only 1.2 μm.

© 2008 American Institute of Physics

Article Outline

  1. INTRODUCTION
  2. EXPERIMENTAL
  3. RESULTS
    1. Substrates morphologies
    2. N/I buffer layer in μc-Si:H solar cells
    3. Material quality of the μc-Si:H i layer
    4. Effect of buffer layer in the photogenerated current density
    5. Microcrystalline solar cells on hot silver substrates
  4. DISCUSSION
  5. CONCLUSION

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KEYWORDS and PACS

Keywords

amorphous state, buffer layers, elemental semiconductors, noncrystalline structure, plasma CVD, plasma CVD coatings, semiconductor growth, semiconductor thin films, silicon, solar cells, surface morphology, surface treatment

PACS

  • 84.60.Jt

    Photoelectric conversion

  • 81.15.Gh

    Chemical vapor deposition (including plasma-enhanced CVD, MOCVD, ALD, etc.)

  • 81.65.-b

    Surface treatments

ARTICLE DATA

Digital Object Identifier
http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3021053

PUBLICATION DATA

ISSN

0021-8979 (print)  
1089-7550 (online)

Publisher

$abstract.society.value is a Member of CrossRef American Institute of Physics

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Figures (13) Tables (1)

Figures (click on thumbnails to view enlargements)

FIG.1
TEM cross section of a nip μc-Si:H solar cell deposited on an untreated ZnO LP-CVD. The cracks and porous areas of the Si are pointed by the black arrows.

FIG.1 Download High Resolution Image (.zip file) | Export Figure to PowerPoint

FIG.2
Optical reflection as a function of wavelength for μc-Si:H solar cells deposited on LP-CVD ZNO with 0, 20, 40, and 60 min plasma treatment times.

FIG.2 Download High Resolution Image (.zip file) | Export Figure to PowerPoint

FIG.3
Raman crystallinity fraction of the nontreated (0 min, V shape) and strongly treated (60 min, U shape) substrate throughout the entire μc-Si:H solar cell.

FIG.3 Download High Resolution Image (.zip file) | Export Figure to PowerPoint

FIG.4
EQE as a function of wavelength for μc-Si:H on LP-CVD ZnO substrate with 20 and 40 min surface plasma treatment times.

FIG.4 Download High Resolution Image (.zip file) | Export Figure to PowerPoint

FIG.5
Raman crystallinity measurement from the n and p side of the μc-Si:H on the slightly treated 20 min ZnO LP-CVD substrate as a function of the BL dilution after the microcrystalline n layer.

FIG.5 Download High Resolution Image (.zip file) | Export Figure to PowerPoint

FIG.6
TEM cross-sectional micrograph of μc-Si solar cell with 200 nm amorphous BL with dilution 14.5% on the LP-CVD ZnO with 40 min plasma treatment time.

FIG.6 Download High Resolution Image (.zip file) | Export Figure to PowerPoint

FIG.7
Efficiency of μc-Si:H solar cell on LP-CVD ZnO with 20 and 40 min surface plasma treatment and hot silver substrates as a function of the BL dilution after the microcrystalline n layer.

FIG.7 Download High Resolution Image (.zip file) | Export Figure to PowerPoint

FIG.8
Voc, FF, and Jsc of the μc-Si:H solar cell as a function of the BL dilution ratio on the LP-CVD ZnO substrate with 20 min surface plasma treatment.

FIG.8 Download High Resolution Image (.zip file) | Export Figure to PowerPoint

FIG.9
Absorption coefficient (α0.8 eV) from FTPS measurements and FF of μc-Si:H solar cells as a function of the various BL dilution on the LP-CVD ZnO substrate with 20 min surface plasma treatment.

FIG.9 Download High Resolution Image (.zip file) | Export Figure to PowerPoint

FIG.10
Comparison of the linear density of cracks for μc-Si:H solar cell with BL (round) and without BL (square) as a function of the different plasma treatment times on LP-CVD ZnO substrates.

FIG.10 Download High Resolution Image (.zip file) | Export Figure to PowerPoint

FIG.11
EQE of μc-Si:H solar cell with various BL dilution on the LP-CVD ZnO substrate with 20 min treatment time.

FIG.11 Download High Resolution Image (.zip file) | Export Figure to PowerPoint

FIG.12
EQE of μc-Si:H solar illuminated from the N side on the LP-CVD ZnO substrate with 20 min treatment time.

FIG.12 Download High Resolution Image (.zip file) | Export Figure to PowerPoint

FIG.13
JV curve of the μc-Si:H cell on hot silver substrate. The JV curve is normalized with Jsc calculated from the convolution of AM 1.5g with spectral response measurements.

FIG.13 Download High Resolution Image (.zip file) | Export Figure to PowerPoint

Tables

Table I. μc-Si:H solar cell parameters for 0, 20, 40, and 60 min surface treatment times on the ZnO LP-CVD substrate.

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