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Microcrystalline Silicon Thin-Film Solar Cells Prepared at Low Temperature

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 March 2011

Y. Nasuno
Affiliation:
National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-1-1 Umezono, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8568, Japan
M. Kondo
Affiliation:
National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-1-1 Umezono, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8568, Japan
A. Matsuda
Affiliation:
National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-1-1 Umezono, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8568, Japan
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Abstract

Hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon (µc-Si:H) p-i-n solar cells have been prepared using a conventional RF plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) method at a low process temperature of 140 °C. The low temperature deposition of µc-Si:H has been found to be effective to suppress the formation of oxygen-related donors that cause a reduction in open circuit voltage (Voc) due to shunt leakage. We demonstrate the improvement of Voc by lowering the deposition temperature down to 140, while suppressing the reduction in high short circuit current density (Jsc) and fill factor (FF). A high efficiency of 8.9% was obtained using an Aasahi-U substrate. Furthermore, by optimizing textured structures on ZnO transparent conductive oxide (TCO) substrates, an efficiency of 9.4% (Voc=0.526V, Jsc=25.3mA/cm2, FF=0.710) was obtained. In addition, relatively high efficiency of 8.1% was achieved using VHF (60MHz) plasma at a deposition rate of 12 Å/s. Thus, this low temperature deposition technique for µc-Si:H is promising for both high efficiency and high rate deposition of µc-Si:H solar cells.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2001

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References

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