Amorphous silicon-based multilayers for photovoltaic applications

Journal article (2010)

Authors

M. Zeman Photovoltaic Materials and Devices - EEMCS
O. Isabella Photovoltaic Materials and Devices - EEMCS
F.D. Tichelaar QN/High Resolution Electron Microscopy
SL Luxembourg Electronic Components, Technology and Materials - EEMCS
Research Group
Photovoltaic Materials and Devices (EEMCS) (TU Delft)
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Published Date

2010

Language

English

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Faculty

Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science

Department

Electrical Sustainable Energy

Research Group

Photovoltaic Materials and Devices

Abstract

Multilayer (ML) structures were fabricated by alternating deposition of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) and amorphous silicon nitride (a-SiNx:H) using plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition. The ML structures were grown with and without hydrogen dilution of the source gas mixture. A blue shift of the absorption spectra was observed upon reduction of the a-Si:H thickness below 5 nm. Hydrogen dilution was found to improve the abruptness of the interfaces between subsequent a-Si:H and a-SiNx:H layers to below 1 nm. In order to investigate the potential of a-Si:H based ML structures as absorbers in solar cells and to study transport perpendicular to the interfaces, we have incorporated ML absorbers in a single junction p-i-n solar cell. We have determined the J-V characteristics and the external quantum efficiency of solar cells with a 60 period ML absorber, composed of 5 nm thick a-Si:H and 1 nm thick a-SiNx:H layers. The solar cell with ML absorber operated at efficiency of 1.8% (© 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)