Improved photovoltaic properties of amorphous silicon thin-film solar cells with an un-doped silicon oxide layer. (March 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chen, Yu-Hung; Liu, Yung-Tsung; Huang, Chien-Fu; Liu, Jun-Chin; Lin, Chen-Cheng
• Is Part Of: Materials science in semiconductor processing. Volume 31(2015:Mar.)
• Page Start: 184
• Page End: 188
• Publication Date: 2015-03
• Subjects: Silicon oxide -- Light-trapping -- Solar cell; Semiconductors -- Periodicals; Integrated circuits -- Materials -- Periodicals; Semiconducteurs -- Périodiques; Circuits intégrés -- Matériaux -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 621.38152
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mssp.2014.11.042
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1369-8001

Abstract

Abstract: This paper proposes the use of undoped hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon oxide (μc-SiO x :H) deposited on the n-μc-Si:H layer of amorphous silicon single-junction superstrate configuration thin-film solar cells produced through 40 MHz very high frequency plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. Raman spectroscopy and optoelectronic analyses of the undoped μc-SiO x :H thin film revealed that adding a small amount of oxygen into a μc-network results in a low optical absorption, wide band gap, high optical band gap E 04, high refractive index, reasonable conductivity, and crystalline volume fraction, which are advantageous properties in solar cells. Compared with a standard cell, the current density–voltage ( J–V ) characteristics of the cell with an undoped μc-SiO x :H/n-μc-Si:H structure showed an enhancement in short-circuit current density J sc from 13.32 to 13.60 mA/cm 2, and in conversion efficiency from 8.53% to 8.61%. The increased J sc mechanism can be attributed to an improved light-trapping capability in the long wavelength range between 510 and 660 nm, as demonstrated by the external quantum efficiency.