Multifunctional PECVD Layers: Dopant Source, Passivation, and Optics

Seiffe, J.; Pillath, Florian; Trogus, D.; Brand, Andreas A.; Savio, Christian; Hofmann, M.; Rentsch, J.

doi:10.1109/jphotov.2012.2221455

Cited by 5 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…In addition, related investigations on passivation of B containing SiO x layers did not show sufficiently low j 0E values for B emitters (depending on sheet resistance) up to now. 12,13 Therefore, B emitters on n-type Si wafers are commonly passivated after removal of the doping layer using SiO x /SiN x or Al 2 O 3 /SiN x layer stacks in additional processing steps exploiting chemical and field effect passivation of those layers. 11 Most BSG layers are only used as doping layers but not as multi-purpose layers.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Passivating boron silicate glasses for co-diffused high-efficiency n-type silicon solar cell application

Engelhardt

Frey

Gloger

et al. 2015

Applied Physics Letters

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Doping layers commonly have but one function: supplying the dopants to form a doped region within a substrate. This work presents B doping layers/stacks, which at the same time supply dopant atoms, passivate the B-doped crystalline Si surface sufficiently well (j 0E < 50 fA/cm 2 ), and show optical properties suitable for anti-reflective coating. Furthermore, these boron silicate glasses can act as a barrier against parasitic P in-diffusion during a co-diffusion step. The boron emitters diffused from the inductively coupled plasma plasma-enhanced chemical vapor-deposited B containing SiO x layers are investigated and optimized concerning passivation quality and contact properties for high-efficiency n-type solar Si cell designs. It is shown that even 10 nm thin SiO x :B films already allow for suitable emitter sheet resistance for screen-printed contacts. Furthermore, SiO x :B layers presented here allow for iV OC values of 675 mV and contact resistivity of 1 mXcm 2 for commercial Ag instead of Ag/Al pastes on the diffused boron emitter passivated with the SiO x :B layer supporting the contact formation. All of these properties can be achieved within one single B doping layer/stack. V C 2015 AIP Publishing LLC. [http://dx

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mentioning

confidence: 99%

Passivating boron silicate glasses for co-diffused high-efficiency n-type silicon solar cell application

Engelhardt

Frey

Gloger

et al. 2015

Applied Physics Letters

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“…In Ref. , it was already presented by SEM images and SE that a main part of the a‐Si:B layer is transformed into a silicon dioxide by the high‐temperature annealing process in a CDA atmosphere. Therefore, a three‐layer system occurs after the diffusion including the Al 2 O 3 , the remaining a‐Si:B, and the oxidized part (SiO 2 ).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In Ref. , the possibility for a low‐cost process to produce a PERT solar cell using multifunctional plasma‐enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) layers, which provide simultaneously a source for dopant diffusion, surface passivation, and optical functionality, has been presented. This novel concept already led to conversion efficiencies of 18.3%.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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PECVD Al₂ O₃ /a-Si:B as a dopant source and surface passivation

Seiffe

Gahoi

Hofmann

et al. 2013

Phys. Status Solidi A

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In this study, a two-layer system consisting of a thin aluminum oxide (Al2O3) and a heavily boron-doped amorphous silicon (a-Si:B) is described. The double layer can be applied as a boron-dopant source in high-temperature diffusion as well as for surface passivation afterwards. The influence of different Al2O3 thicknesses and diffusion processes is investigated regarding the boron diffusion, surface passivation, and optical characteristics of this layer stack. Using a 5-nm thick Al 2O3 film, a stable surface passivation as well as significant boron diffusion through the Al2O3 is possible. The best surface passivation is achieved for the annealing process with the highest thermal budget (950°C for 60 min). Investigations by spectral ellipsometry prove the growth of silicon dioxide during the high-temperature diffusion process and indicate that the remaining boron-rich silicon layer is highly absorbing even for near-bandgap, near-infrared light. To improve future solar ce lls using this layer as the rear-side coating, the thickness of this layer has to be reduced

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“…Seiffe et al developed phosphorous‐doped PECVD‐SiN x layers that form homogeneous emitters and do not suffer from lifetime degradation after diffusion. A combination of the etching process with diffusion from a doped silicon nitride might be suitable to eliminate the lifetime degradation issue, and thus a selective emitter structure could be formed in only one high‐temperature step.…”

Section: Dopingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Inkjet Technology for Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaics

et al. 2014

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The world's ever increasing demand for energy necessitates technologies that generate electricity from inexhaustible and easily accessible energy sources. Silicon photovoltaics is a technology that can harvest the energy of sunlight. Its great characteristics have fueled research and development activities in this exciting field for many years now. One of the most important activities in the solar cell community is the investigation of alternative fabrication and structuring technologies, ideally serving both of the two main goals: device optimization and reduction of fabrication costs. Inkjet technology is practically evaluated along the whole process chain. Research activities cover many processes, such as surface texturing, emitter formation, or metallization. Furthermore, the inkjet technology itself is manifold as well. It can be used to apply inks that serve as a functional structure, present in the final device, as mask for subsequent structuring steps, or even serve as a reactant source to activate chemical etch reactions. This article reviews investigations of inkjet-printing in the field of silicon photovoltaics. The focus is on the different inkjet processes for individual fabrication steps of a solar cell. A technological overview and suggestions about where future work will be focused on are also provided. The great variety of the investigated processes highlights the ability of the inkjet technology to find its way into many other areas of functional printing and printed electronics.

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Multifunctional PECVD Layers: Dopant Source, Passivation, and Optics

Cited by 5 publications

References 8 publications

Passivating boron silicate glasses for co-diffused high-efficiency n-type silicon solar cell application

Passivating boron silicate glasses for co-diffused high-efficiency n-type silicon solar cell application

PECVD Al₂ O₃ /a-Si:B as a dopant source and surface passivation

Inkjet Technology for Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaics

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Multifunctional PECVD Layers: Dopant Source, Passivation, and Optics

Cited by 5 publications

References 8 publications

Passivating boron silicate glasses for co-diffused high-efficiency n-type silicon solar cell application

Passivating boron silicate glasses for co-diffused high-efficiency n-type silicon solar cell application

PECVD Al2 O3 /a-Si:B as a dopant source and surface passivation

Inkjet Technology for Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaics

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PECVD Al₂ O₃ /a-Si:B as a dopant source and surface passivation