Influence of contaminations on the performance of thin-film silicon solar cells prepared after in situ reactor plasma cleaning

Hrunski, D.; Rech, Bernd; Schmitz, R.; Mück, A.; Pinçon, O.; Breuer, U.; Beyer, W.

doi:10.1016/j.tsf.2007.06.013

Cited by 13 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…Other sources for impurities are air leaks and/or outgassing in the deposition chamber indicated by an increased base pressure and in situ plasma cleaning procedures with SF 6 / O 2 or NF 3 before c-Si: H deposition. 4,5 The present work addresses the influence of oxygen and nitrogen impurities on the properties of c-Si: H absorber layers and the performance of c-Si: H solar cells. Whereas previous studies were restricted to impacts on the c-Si: H material properties and to the influence of process gas purification on the spectral response of c-Si: H solar cells, we present a direct relation between oxygen and nitrogen content, the material properties, I-V-parameters of solar cells, and external quantum efficiency ͑QE͒ measurements.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Oxygen and nitrogen impurities in microcrystalline silicon deposited under optimized conditions: Influence on material properties and solar cell performance

Kilper

Beyer

Bräuer

et al. 2009

Journal of Applied Physics

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The influence of oxygen and nitrogen impurities on the performance of thin-film solar cells based on microcrystalline silicon (mu c-Si:H) has been systematically investigated. Single mu c-Si:H layers and complete mu c-Si:H solar cells have been prepared with intentional contamination by admitting oxygen and/or nitrogen during the deposition process. The conversion efficiency of similar to 1.2 mu m thick mu c-Si: H solar cells is deteriorated if the oxygen content in absorber layers exceeds the range from 1.2 x 10(19) to 2 x 10(19) cm(-3); in the case of nitrogen contamination the critical impurity level is lower ([N](critical)=6 x 10(18)-8 x 10(18) cm(-3)). It was revealed that both oxygen and nitrogen impurities thereby modify structural and electrical properties of mu c-Si:H films. It was observed that the both contaminant types act as donors. Efficiency losses due to oxygen or nitrogen impurities are attributed to fill factor decreases and to a reduced external quantum efficiency at wavelengths of >500 nm. In the case of an air leak during the mu c-Si:H deposition process, the cell performance drops at an air leak fraction from 140 to 200 ppm compared to the total gas flow during i-layer deposition. It is demonstrated that oxygen and nitrogen impurities close to the p/i-interface have a stronger effect on the cell performance compared to impurities close to the n/i-interface. Moreover, thick mu c-Si:H solar cells are found to be more impurity-sensitive than thinner cells

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%