Our study focuses on the optimization of front contact design by exploring a novel bilayer configuration that employs transparent conductive oxides (TCOs) to enhance the efficiency of thin-film silicon solar cells. The TCOs investigated include sputtered hydrogenated indium oxide (IOH), cerium-doped indium oxide (ICO), cerium and hydrogen co-doped indium oxide (ICOH), and intrinsic zinc oxide (i-ZnO). We highlight the suitability of these TCOs in a bilayer design, first analyzing their opto-electrical properties as monolayers and subsequently in bilayer configurations. The IOH/i-ZnO bilayer architecture, in particular, demonstrates promising opto-electrical properties on both flat glass and micro-textured glass substrates. IOH/i-ZnO on flat glass substrate demonstrates remarkable mobility (143.44 cm²/Vs) and a carrier concentration in the order of 10¹⁹cm^-3. The mean of reflectance (R) trends consistently exceeds 80%, while the mean of transmittance (T) trends falls below 20% beyond 500 nm. The interference effects within the bilayers are minimized for designs on micro-textured glass, preserving values within a desirable range. These findings represent an innovative approach to front contact design for thin-film silicon solar cells, emphasizing the potential of bilayer configurations to advance solar cell technology.

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Photovoltaic (PV) panel installations in buildings and transportation hubs pose additional safety challenges as the glare from the panels can impose adverse impacts like flash blindness in human eyes. This study substantiates that polymer encapsulated thin film modules offer significantly low glare levels that are essential for building integrated and transport hub installations. In this work, the glare hazard potential associated with matt ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE)-based polymer sheet used as the frontsheet for the production of flexible thin amorphous silicon (a-Si) PV modules is studied and compared with standard PV glass used in crystalline silicon (c-Si) PV panels. The specular reflectance extracted from the measured total and diffuse reflectance for an angle of incidence (AOI) of 8° and the angular intensity distribution (AID) of specular reflectance measured for AOI ranging from 10° to 80° are utilized for glare assessment of the frontsheets. The mean value of specular reflectance extracted from the measured total and diffused reflectance is as low as 0.5% for the polymer frontsheet and is 4% for glass. The AID measurements suggest that the reflection from the polymer frontsheet is highly diffusive in nature in contrast to glass and the measured specular reflectance is always close to a magnitude lower than that from glass for all AOI. With the increase in AOI, the specular AID reflectance increases exponentially for glass to become as high as 40%, which is almost 20 times less than that from the polymer frontsheet for an AOI of 80°. Further, the c-Si test structure with glass and thin a-Si PV module with matt ETFE-based polymer as frontsheet showed similar specular reflectance trends as that of glass and the polymer frontsheet, respectively.

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Silicon heterojunction (SHJ) solar cells have achieved a record efficiency of 26.81% in a front/back-contacted (FBC) configuration. Moreover, thanks to their advantageous high V_OC and good infrared response, SHJ solar cells can be further combined with wide bandgap perovskite cells forming tandem devices to enable efficiencies well above 33%. In this study, we present strategies to realize high-efficiency SHJ solar cells through combined theoretical and experimental studies, starting from the optimization of Si-based thin-film layers to the implementation of electrodes with reduced indium and silver usage. Advanced opto-electrical simulations, which enable comprehensive theoretical understandings of the main physical mechanisms governing carriers’ collection and light management, provide clear pathways for device designs and experimental optimizations. We present the fabricated FBC-SHJ solar cells in both monofacial and bifacial configurations with the best efficiencies of 24.18% and 23.25%, respectively. We point out that to achieve optimum device performance, the compositional materials should be holistically optimized and evaluated as part of the contact stacks with adjacent layers. As an outlook beyond the classical FBC-SHJ solar cell architecture, we propose various novel SHJ-based solar cell architectures. Their potential performance was assessed and compared via rigorous opto-electrical simulations and a maximal efficiency of 27.60% was simulated for FBC-SHJ solar cells featuring localized contacts.

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Transparent conductive oxides (TCOs) are used as front electrode of thin film silicon (TF-Si) solar cells to increase power conversion efficiency. Metal oxides doped with different materials can be deployed as TCO. The preferred TCO is usually selected using a trade-off between transparency and conductivity. This work proposes a bi-layer front contact to address the limitation of this trade-off. IOH and i-ZnO are chosen as the best candidates for such architecture due to their good opto-electrical properties. A thin layer of IOH ensures good lateral conductivity and high transparency in the visible part of the solar spectrum. An additional i-ZnO layer provides minimized parasitic absorption losses along with low transverse resistivity. The best opto-electrical properties are achieved when deposition temperature and power density are set at 25°C and 1.5 W/cm², 200°C and 2 W/cm² for IOH and i-ZnO respectively.

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In this study, undoped hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) thin films deposited under moderate dilution ratios of silane by radio frequency plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (RF-PECVD) have been investigated using steady-state photoconductivity and improved dual beam photoconductivity (DBP) methods to identify changes in multiple gap states in annealed and light-soaked states. Four different gap states were identified in annealed state named as A, B, C, and X states. The peak energy positions of these Gaussian distributions are consistent with those recently identified by Fourier transform photocurrent spectroscopy (FTPS). After in situ light soaking, their density increases with different rates as peak energy positions and half-widths remain unaffected. The electron-occupied A and B states located below the dark Fermi level and their density and ratios in the annealed and light-soaked states correlate well with those defects detected by time-domain pulsed electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) experiments. The A, B, and X states located closer to the middle of the bandgap anneal out at room temperature in dark and define the "fast"states. However, the C states show no sign of room temperature annealing such that they must define the "slow"states in undoped a-Si:H. The results found in this study indicate that the anisotropic disordered network is a more appropriate model than previously proposed defect models based on the continuous random network to define the nanostructure of undoped a-Si:H, where multiple defects, D0 and non-D0 defects, can be identified by using the improved DBP method.

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Accelerating the deployment of Photovoltaic (PV) systems is a key contributing factor in achieving climate neutrality. Even though solar power is one of the cheapest energy sources and its deployment is growing rapidly around the world, an even faster growth is required to achieve existing climate goals. Besides the role that finance and permitting can play as enablers or barriers to this, the key elements to enable fast PV deployment are the use of education, and science and data-driven tools to empower citizens, installers, and investors to make their decisions based on robust scientific evidence. This perspective article aims to summarize the key concepts presented and discussed during the side event at COP27 on PV resources towards climate neutrality. The article will accomplish this by highlighting two key aspects: (1) the advantages of using solar-related education and data-driven tools, and (2) showcasing the significance of education, improved data and tools, community involvement, and PV mapping in expediting the deployment of PV systems.@en

The oxidation and carbisation kinetics of porous amorphous and nano-crystalline hydrogenated germanium (a-Ge:H and nc-Ge:H) films exposed to ambient air and deionized water have been studied using vibration modes observed by infrared spectroscopy. Based on infrared analysis, a two-step process of first oxidation by water and secondly carbisation by carbon dioxide (CO2) is proposed that partly mimics the (photo-)catalytic processes in artificial (photo)synthesis. It is shown that water acts like the precursor for oxidation of porous a-Ge:H and nc-Ge:H in the first step. The incorporation of oxygen in a-Ge:H and nc-Ge:H alloys occurs preferentially at Ge-dangling bonds and not at the Ge–Ge back bonds like in hydrogenated silicon alloys (next of kin IV-valence element). The formation of germanium oxide (GeO) tissue at void surfaces locally creates Ge alloys with significantly lower energy levels for the valence band that can align with the half reaction for water reduction. The heterogeneous nature of a-Ge:H and nc-Ge:H oxidation will result in local catalytic generation of electrons and protons. It is proposed that these charge carriers and ions act as precursors for the second-step reaction based on carbisation that includes both the adsorption of CO2 and formation of CO and formaldehyde.@en

Semiconductors based on group IV elements are widely used in the fields of micro-electronics, optics and photonics. The group IV alloys are processed using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition and its opto-electrical properties are a result of the material composition and structure. Infrared and Raman spectroscopy are complementary and powerful tools for providing these essential material characteristics. In this work, the vibrational modes present in hydrogenated, oxygenated and carbonated group IV alloys are investigated in a unique range of amorphous and nano-crystalline Si_X≥0Ge_1−X:H films and their alloys with C, O and Sn. Measurements are performed both post-deposition and following extended exposure to the ambient and de-ionized water. This comprehensive review is of value in the fields of material science and engineering as a single work of reference for group IV peak identification. Additionally, the effect of electrical screening, the influence of the dielectric medium on the peak frequency of a vibrational mode, is illustrated using the experimentally observed frequency shifts of X-O and X-H (X = C, Si, Ge) vibrational modes. All experimentally observed center frequencies of silicon hydride stretching modes in silicon solids and corresponding silicon-hydride configurations are identified using a straightforward Lorentz-Lorenz model approximation and considering all potential hydrogenated volume deficiencies within a tetrahedrally coordinated amorphous and nanocrystalline lattice. It shows that the stretching mode signature can reveal detailed information on the volume deficiencies in IV-valence alloys.

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An alloy based on the group IV elements germanium and tin has the potential of yielding an earth-abundant low bandgap energy semiconductor material with applications in the fields of micro-electronics, optics, photonics and photovoltaics. In this work, the first steps towards the plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) processing of a chemically stable, low bandgap energy and intrinsic GeSn:H alloy are presented. Using a tetramethyltin (TMT) precursor, over 70 PECVD processed films are presented. It was observed that the opto-electrical film properties are a result of the material phase fraction, void fraction, hydrogenation and the level of tin and carbon integration. In particular, managing the carbon integration from the TMT precursor into the material is crucial for obtaining low-bandgap and chemically stable materials. The collective findings from this work will aid in successfully identifying PECVD processing pathways for GeSn:H.@en

Excellent surface passivation induced by (i)a-Si:H is critical to achieve high-efficiency silicon heterojunction (SHJ) solar cells. This is key for conventional single-junction cell applications but also for bottom cell application in tandem devices. In this study, we investigated the effects of (i)a-Si:H deposition temperature on passivation quality and SHJ solar cell performance. At the lower end of temperatures ranging from 140°C to 200°C, it was observed with Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) that (i)a-Si:H films are less dense, thus hindering their surface passivation capabilities. However, with additional hydrogen plasma treatments (HPTs), those (i)a-Si:H layers deposited at lower temperatures exhibited significant improvements and better passivation qualities than their counterparts deposited at higher temperatures. On the other hand, even though we observed the highest V_OCs for cells with (i)a-Si:H deposited at the lowest temperature (140°C), the related FFs are poorer as compared to their higher temperature counterparts. The optimum trade-off between V_OC and FF for the SHJ cells was found with temperatures ranging from 160°C to 180°C, which delivered independently certified efficiencies of 23.71%. With a further improved p-layer that enables a FF of 83.3%, an efficiency of 24.18% was achieved. Thus, our study reveals two critical requirements for optimizing the (i)a-Si:H layers in high-efficiency SHJ solar cells: (i) excellent surface passivation quality to reduce losses induced by interface recombination and simultaneously (ii) less-defective (i)a-Si:H bulk to not disrupt the charge carrier collections.

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In this paper the opto-electrical nature of hydrogenated group IV alloys with optical bandgap energies ranging from 1.0 eV up to 2.3 eV are studied. The fundamental physical principles that determine the relation between the bandgap and the structural characteristics such as material density, elemental composition, void fraction and crystalline phase fraction are revealed. Next, the fundamental physical principles that determine the relation between the bandgap and electrical properties such as the dark conductivity, activation energy, and photoresponse are discussed. The unique wide range of IV valence alloys helps to understand the nature of amorphous (a-) and nanocrystalline (nc-) hydrogenated (:H) germanium films with respect to the intrinsicity, chemical stability, and photoresponse. These insights resulted in the discovery of i) a processing window that results in chemically stable Ge:H films with the lowest reported dark conductivity values down to 4.6·10^-4 (Ω ·cm)^-1 for chemical vapor deposited Ge:H films, and ii) O, C and Sn alloying approaches to improve the photoresponse and chemical stability of the a/nc-Ge:H alloys.

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Two terminal multi-junction (MJ) photovoltaic (PV) devices are well established concepts to increase the solar-to-electrical power conversion in reference to single PV junctions. In multi-junction PV devices two consecutive sub-cells are interconnected using a tunnel recombination junction (TRJ) in which the light excited holes of one sub-cell recombine with the light excited electrons of the other sub cell. An ideal TRJ is an ohmic contact with non-rectifying behaviour. TRJ's based on p- and n-doped silicon-oxides have been successfully applied in a variety of hybrid multi-junction PV devices in which tunnelling and trap-assisted tunnelling over width of 5–20 nm rules the TRJ's recombination kinetics. In this contribution the qualitative fundamental working principles of tunnel recombination junctions based on p- and n-doped silicon and silicon-oxide alloys are revealed using both electrical modelling and experiments based on a unique set of tandem lab cells (four types based on four different PV materials) combined with structural variations in TRJ architectures. The study results in design rules for the integration of silicon-oxide based TRJ's and provides fundamental insights into the sensitivity of the electrical performance of the TRJ's to doping concentrations, to alignment of the conduction and valence bands of consecutive sub-cells, to the nature of interface defects, to the growth of amorphous and crystalline phases and its dependence on substrate or seed layers and to the nanoscale thicknesses of the TRJ layers.

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Surface textures that result in high optical yields are crucial for high efficiency photovoltaic (PV) devices. In this work three different texturing approaches are presented that result in smooth concave structures devoid of sharp features. Such features can sustain the crack-free growth of device quality nano- to poly-crystalline materials such as nano-crystalline silicon, perovskites or C(I)GS, facilitating routes towards hybrid multijunction PV devices. A sacrificial implanted poly-c-Si layer is used to develop a random surface texture for the first texturing approach (Tsac). The influence of the processing conditions, such as layer thickness, implantation energy, dose and ion type, annealing time and temperature, of the sacrificial layer on the developed surface features is investigated. Additionally, a photolithographically developed honeycomb texture (Thoney) is presented. The influence of mask design on the honeycomb features is discussed and a relation is established between the honeycomb period and crack formation in nano-crystalline silicon layers. The reflective properties (spectral reflection, haze in reflection and angular intensity distribution) of these approaches are characterized and compared to a third texturing approach, Tsp, the result of chemically smoothened pyramidal <111> features. It was demonstrated that high optical scattering yields can be achieved for both Thoney and Tsp. Additionally, the performance of a-Si/nc-Si tandem devices processed onto the different textures is compared using both optical device simulations and real device measurements. Simulations demonstrate strong improvements in Jsc-sum (≈45%), in reference to a flat surface, and high Voc*FF of over 1 V are demonstrated for Tsp.@en

A logical next step for achieving a cost price reduction per Watt peak of photovoltaics (PV) is multijunction PV devices. In two-terminal multijunction PV devices, the photo-current generated in each subcell should be matched. Intermediate reflective layers (IRLs) are widely employed in multijunction devices to increase reflection at the interface between subcells to enhance current generation in the subcell(s) positioned before the IRL, in reference to the incident light. In this work, the results of over 65 multijunction devices are presented, in order to explore the effect of different current matching approaches. The influence of variations in absorber thickness as well as thickness variations of different IRLs based on silicon-oxide, various transparent conductive oxides (TCO), and metallic layers on all-silicon multijunction PV devices is studied. Specifically, hybrid, 2-terminal, monolithically integrated silicon heterojunction (SHJ) and thin film nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si:H) and amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) tandem and triple junction devices are processed. Based on these experiments, certain design rules for optimal current matching operation in multijunction devices are formulated. Finally, taking these design rules into account, record all-silicon multijunction devices are processed. Conversion efficiencies close 15% and (Formula presented.) V are demonstrated for triple junction SHJ/nc-Si:H/a-Si:H devices. Such conversion efficiencies for a wireless, high-voltage wafer-based all-silicon 2-terminal multijunction PV device opens the way for efficient autonomous solar-to-fuel synthesis systems as well as other wireless innovative approaches in which the multijunction solar cell is used not only as a photovoltaic current-voltage generator, but also as an ion-exchange membrane, electrochemical catalysts, and/or optical transmittance filter.

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In this abstract an overview is presented of research performed in the DISCO project, on the development of a silicon-based high voltage multijunction device for autonomous solar to fuel applications.'

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Amorphous and nano-crystalline germanium is of potential interest for a wide range of electronic, optical, opto-electronic and photovoltaic applications. In this work the influence of deposition temperature on hydrogenated germanium (Ge:H) films was characterized, using over 200 Ge:H and over 70 SiGe:H films. The demonstrated temperature-induced densification of Ge:H films resulted in more stable films with a lower bandgap energy and dark conductivity and higher activation energy.

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Thanks to fast learning and sustained growth, solar photovoltaics (PV) is today a highly cost-competitive technology, ready to contribute substantially to CO₂ emissions mitigation. However, many scenarios assessing global decarbonization pathways, either based on integrated assessment models or partial-equilibrium models, fail to identify the key role that this technology could play, including far lower future PV capacity than that projected by the PV community. In this perspective, we review the factors that lie behind the historical cost reductions of solar PV and identify innovations in the pipeline that could contribute to maintaining a high learning rate. We also aim at opening a constructive discussion among PV experts, modelers, and policymakers regarding how to improve the representation of this technology in the models and how to ensure that manufacturing and installation of solar PV- can ramp up on time, which will be crucial to remain in a decarbonization path compatible with the Paris Agreement.

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This work focuses mainly on development of modulated surface texturing of Al substrate for thin-film, silicon-based, flexible solar cells. We compared the current roll-to-roll process at industrial level with a newly developed lab-scale texturing that offers better performance both with KOH and NaOH etching of Al foil. The kinetics of these etching chemicals, modelled with an Arrhenius equation, is evaluated in both methods, activation energy and pre-exponential factor are calculated depending on etching concentration. We also deployed a new roll-to-roll experiment that shows better optical properties than the baseline. Finally, we also show the first results of micromorph tandem devices on the baseline texturing.

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Doped layers are a determining factor for the performance of photovoltaic devices such as silicon heterojunction and thin film silicon solar cells. The material properties of doped hydrogenated amorphous/nanocrystalline silicon-oxide (a/nc-SiO X≥0 :H) films processed by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition generally exhibit a tradeoff between optical and electrical performance. The optoelectrical properties are the result of different material phases in these heterogeneous films, such as hydrogenated amorphous silicon and silicon-oxide tissue, nanocrystalline silicon grains, their corresponding fractions and extent of doping. In this article, all the precursor gas flows are varied to achieve a wide range of doped a/nc-SiO X≥0 :H phases. A material phase diagram is introduced to clarify the complex interplay between processing conditions, dominant growth mechanisms, a/nc-SiO X≥0 :H phases, and the resulting optoelectrical properties. In addition, it is discussed that material properties are strongly dependent on the thickness of the films, as the mix of different material phases is not uniform along the growth direction.@en

Low-cost multijunction photovoltaic devices are the next step in the solar energy revolution. Adding a bottom junction with a low bandgap energy material through plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) processing could potentially provide a low-cost boost in conversion efficiency. A logical candidate for this low bandgap material is germanium. In this work we investigate the growth of PECVD processed hydrogenated amorphous/nano-crystalline germanium (a/nc-Ge:H), by characterizing over 100 samples, processed with a wide range of deposition pressures, powers, temperatures and GeH₄ dilution in hydrogen, using elemental analysis, vibrational analysis and analysis of the opto-electrical properties. We have identified a small processing window in which nc-Ge:H films are processed reproducibly. We also report on the strong correlation between the refractive index of the films and the presence- and extent of post-deposition oxidation. Notably, the oxidation generally increased the photoresponse of the films, as it results in a decrease of room temperature σ_d by 1-3 orders of magnitude. However, oxidation results in an increase of the bandgap energy and therefore impedes the development of a low bandgap material. The lowest E₀₄ we report is about 1.1eV, with an E_Tauc of 0.9eV and an σ_ph/σ_d of 3.4.

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