Influence of Substrate Type and Dose of Implanted Ions on the Electrical Parameters of Silicon in Terms of Improving the Efficiency of Photovoltaic Cells

Abstract

The main goal of this work was to conduct a comparative analysis of the electrical properties of the silicon implanted with neon ions, depending on the dose of ions and the type of substrate doping, for the possibility of generating additional energy levels by ion implantation in terms of improving the efficiency of photovoltaic cells made on its basis. The article presents the results of research on the capacitance and conductance of silicon samples doped with boron and phosphorus, the structure of which was modified in the implantation process with Ne+ ions with energy E = 100 keV and different doses. The analysis of changes in electrical properties recorded at the annealing temperature of the samples Ta = 298 K, 473 K, 598 K, 673 K, and 873 K, concerned the influence of the test temperature in the range from 203 K to 373 K, as well as the frequency f from 100 Hz to 10 MHz, and voltage U from 0.25 V to 2 V. It was possible to detect intermediate bands in the tested samples and determine their position in the band gap by estimating the activation energy value. By means of implantation, it is possible to modify the width of the silicon energy gap, the value of which directly affects the efficiency of the photovoltaic cell made on its basis. By introducing appropriate defects into the silicon crystal lattice, contributing to a change in the value of the energy gap Eg, it is possible to increase the efficiency of the solar cell. On the basis of the obtained results, it can be seen that the highest activation energies are achieved for samples doped with phosphorus.

Application of Neon Ion Implantation to Generate Intermediate Energy Levels in the Band Gap of Boron-Doped Silicon as a Material for Photovoltaic Cells

“…Studies previously conducted by the authors' team [13,32] allowed us to select the research material, which was p-type monocrystalline silicon commonly used in photovoltaics, doped with boron, with resistivity ρ = 0.4 Ω cm. The semiconductor wafers were implanted at room temperature with Ne + neon ions with energy E = 100 keV and three different doses of D, 4.0 × 10 13 cm −2 , 2.2 × 10 14 cm −2 and 4.0 × 10 14 cm −2 , respectively.…”

“…The research conducted by the authors of the article on the change of electrical parameters of silicon through the use of neon ion implantation [29][30][31][32] has led to the development of the author's method for producing and identifying additional energy levels in the band structure of semiconductors. This direction fits perfectly into the current research trend and is in line with the market trends of increasing use of ion implantation in PV cell production [33,34].…”

Model of Choice Photovoltaic Panels Considering Customers’ Expectations

“…In this context, 137 countries have committed to carbon neutrality, as confirmed, for example, by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit or the Carbon Neutrality Coalition [6]. In order to reduce greenhouse gases, it is necessary to use renewable energy sources (RES) [4,7], e.g., renewable energy in the form of water, wind, solar, biomass, or geothermal energy [8]. It is considered that after 2050, 50% of the global energy supply will be produced by RES, where the volume of RES is considered as 140 times greater than the worldwide annual energy consumption [9].…”

“…However, PV systems are still one of the cleanest and safest RES [19]. For energy mainly used in passive heating systems [12], the most often-used instrument to convert solar energy is photovoltaic (PV) systems [7,20]. Photovoltaic energy is becoming more and more popular because of fossil fuels' shortages as well as their negative impact on the environment [21].…”

“…It depends on, for example, the collector's working surface, the availability of solar radiation throughout the year, and the type of solar system [18]. Additionally, the industry purpose of the generation of photovoltaic energy is to reduce electricity generation costs in comparison to commercial electricity obtained from the electrical grid [7]. According to [16], photovoltaic generation of electricity is a key to achieving deep decarbonization with a high degree of electrification.…”