Cost-Effective and Self-Textured Gallium-Doped Zinc Oxide Front Contacts for Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon Thin-Film Solar Cells

Abstract

We adopt a economical and original method to fabricate self-textured gallium-doped zinc oxide (GZO) front contacts for hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) single-junction solar cells. This technique involves an atmospheric-pressure plasma jet (APPJ) and a dc sputtering process. The electro-optical characteristics of the textured GZO films are mainly controlled by the haze of organosilicon underlayers deposited by the APPJ. The films exhibit an average optical transmittance of about 80% and resistivity below 9:91 Â 10 À4 cm. Moreover, compared with flat solar cells, textured cells fabricated on moderate GZO front contacts show 7.9 and 10.9% enhancements in conversion efficiency and short-circuit current density, respectively.

Rapid Atmospheric-Pressure-Plasma-Jet Processed Porous Materials for Energy Harvesting and Storage Devices

“…For applications of APPJs to solar cells, APPJ-deposited organosilicon was used as the seeding layer for the texturing of follow-up sputtered Ga-doped ZnO [11][12][13][14]. Cyclonic APPs were used to perform surface treatments on electrospun poly(vinylidenefluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) microfibrous membranes of DSSCs for improved efficiency [15].…”

Rapid Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet Processed Reduced Graphene Oxide Counter Electrodes for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

“…Atmospheric pressure plasma technology is advantageous in versatile applications including surface modification, rapid thermal annealing, thin-film deposition, bacteria inactivation, and rapid sintering processes. ,− Atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) processes involve the reaction chemistry in the nonthermal plasmas; the participation of oxygen atoms in the plasmas can effectively remove organics by oxidation, rendering rapid processing capability. ,, In addition, it is a nonvacuum process that is compatible with large-area and roll-to-roll fabrication. , Atmospheric pressure plasmas (APPs) have been used in many aspects of solar cell fabrication. A 30 min radio frequency (rf) APP has been used for the preparation of TiO 2 photoanodes of on-plastic DSSCs .…”

“…A 30 min radio frequency (rf) APP has been used for the preparation of TiO 2 photoanodes of on-plastic DSSCs . APPJ-deposited organosilicon was used as the underlayer for the self-texturing of overlaid sputter-deposited Ga-doped ZnO (GZO). ,− This self-textured GZO was then applied as the front contact for a-Si:H solar cells to enhance the light scattering and light trapping, which thereby improved the cell efficiencies. TiO 2 prepared by modified dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) jet with elevated temperatures was implemented as the photoanodes of DSSCs. , A DSSC fabricated with the plasma-modified electrospun poly­(vinylidenefluoride- co -hexafluoropropylene) membrane electrolyte revealed improved conversion efficiency .…”

Atmospheric-pressure-plasma-jet processed nanoporous TiO2photoanodes and Pt counter-electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells

“…Downstream H 2 APPs have been applied to reduce the surface layer of CuO to corresponding metals for increasing the rate performance of the battery [32]. In regard to the applications of APPs to solar cells, APPJdeposited organosilicon seeding layer can enhance the texturing of follow-up sputtered Ga-doped ZnO [33][34][35][36]. A designated process together with APP treatment was used for the reduction of Pt counter electrodes of flexible dye-sensitized solar cells [24].…”