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Contamination Problems of Amorphous Silicon N-I-P Solar Cells on Metal Substrates

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

M. Goetz
Affiliation:
Laboratoire de Microtechnique (LMT) de l'Université de Neuchâtel et de l'EPFL, Rue Breguet 2, CH-2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland, [email protected]
H. Keppner
Affiliation:
Laboratoire de Microtechnique (LMT) de l'Université de Neuchâtel et de l'EPFL, Rue Breguet 2, CH-2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland, [email protected]
P. Pernet
Affiliation:
Laboratoire de Microtechnique (LMT) de l'Université de Neuchâtel et de l'EPFL, Rue Breguet 2, CH-2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland, [email protected]
W. Hotz
Affiliation:
Alusuisse-Lonza Services AG, Bad. Bahnhofstr. 16, CH-8212 Neuhausen a. Rhf., Switzerland
A. Shah
Affiliation:
Laboratoire de Microtechnique (LMT) de l'Université de Neuchâtel et de l'EPFL, Rue Breguet 2, CH-2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland, [email protected]
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Abstract

Commercial aluminium and stainless steel sheets were used as substrates for thin film silicon solar cell deposition. The influence of elemental contamination and disturbed film growth on solar cell performance and yield were studied. Diffusion during film growth was found to be more pronounced than thermally activated interdiffusion of existing films. Surface irregularities of the substrate are shown to reduce the fill factor of the solar cell. Initial efficiencies of 8.5% with single-junction amorphous silicon solar cells on both types of metal sheets were reached.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1996

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References

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