Nanocrystalline n-Type Silicon Oxide Front Contacts for Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells: Photocurrent Enhancement on Planar and Textured Substrates

Mazzarella, Luana; Morales-Vilches, Ana Belen; Hendrichs, Max; Kirner, Simon; Korte, Lars; Schlatmann, Rutger; Stannowski, Bernd

doi:10.1109/jphotov.2017.2770164

Cited by 59 publications

(49 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…The electrical and optical properties of (n)nc-SiOx:H layers grown by PECVD with variable gas mixtures were discussed in Ref. [5]. Here we implement the optimized (n)nc-SiOx:H material that exhibited a relatively low refractive index, a high FC and electrical conductivity (σ).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In a recent publication we discussed the role of thickness and refractive index of n-type nanocrystalline silicon oxide (nc-SiOx:H) front contacts replacing the a-Si:H n layer on textured and flat SHJ cells [5]. This material, with doped silicon crystallites embedded in an amorphous silicon oxide matrix, had been originally developed for thin film silicon solar cells, such as a-Si:H/µc-Si:H ("micromorph") tandems cells, for example acting as intermediate reflecting layer [6], and, finally, replacing all doped silicon layers.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ultra-thin nanocrystalline n-type silicon oxide front contact layers for rear-emitter silicon heterojunction solar cells

Mazzarella¹,

Morales-Vilches²,

Korte³

et al. 2018

Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

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Hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon oxide (nc-SiOx:H) films have demonstrated a unique combination of low parasitic absorption and high conductivity. Here, we report on the use of n-type nc-SiOx:H as front surface field (FSF) in rear-emitter silicon heterojunction (SHJ) solar cells exhibiting excellent electrical cell parameters at a thickness down to only 5 nm. Using a seed layer, we are able to maintain excellent electrical performance (high fill factor (FF) and open circuit voltage (VOC)), while enhancing layer transparency for maximizing short circuit current (JSC). These results, together with the short deposition time (< 100 s), make the (n)nc-SiOx:H FSF attractive for reducing production costs in industrial applications. The best device, with the optimized (n)nc-SiOx:H FSF layer, shows VOC of 731 mV, FF of 80.6%, JSC of 38.3 mA/cm 2 and a power conversion efficiency of 22.6%.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ultra-thin nanocrystalline n-type silicon oxide front contact layers for rear-emitter silicon heterojunction solar cells

Mazzarella¹,

Morales-Vilches²,

Korte³

et al. 2018

Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

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“…[10][11][12][13] The material consists of small nanocrystals embedded in the amorphous matrix, 14 giving confirmed anisotropy properties in the growth direction. 15 Furthermore, nc-Si:H alloyed with oxygen (nc-SiO x :H) allows tunable optoelectrical properties, 16,17 with the advantage of simultaneously obtaining higher E g and lower E a, when compared with a-Si:H. This unique feature also enables more flexibility to tailor the selective transport for enhancing solar cells performance. 6 Interestingly, with similar optical transparency, n-type nc-SiO x :H layers exhibit generally higher conductivity than p-type layers.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Doped hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon oxide layers for high‐efficiency c‐Si heterojunction solar cells

Zhao

Mazzarella

Procel

et al. 2020

Progress in Photovoltaics

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Hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon oxide (nc‐SiOx:H) layers exhibit promising optoelectrical properties for carrier‐selective‐contacts in silicon heterojunction (SHJ) solar cells. However, achieving high conductivity while preserving crystalline silicon (c‐Si) passivation quality is technologically challenging for growing thin layers (less than 20 nm) on the intrinsic hydrogenated amorphous silicon ((i)a‐Si:H) layer. Here, we present an evaluation of different strategies to improve optoelectrical parameters of SHJ contact stacks founded on highly transparent nc‐SiOx:H layers. Using plasma‐enhanced chemical vapor deposition, we firstly investigate the evolution of optoelectrical parameters by varying the main deposition conditions to achieve layers with refractive index below 2.2 and dark conductivity above 1.00 S/cm. Afterwards, we assess the electrical properties with the application of different surface treatments before and after doped layer deposition. Noticeably, we drastically improve the dark conductivity from 0.79 to 2.03 S/cm and 0.02 to 0.07 S/cm for n‐ and p‐contact, respectively. We observe that interface treatments after (i)a‐Si:H deposition not only induce prompt nucleation of nanocrystals but also improve c‐Si passivation quality. Accordingly, we demonstrate fill factor improvement of 13.5%abs from 65.6% to 79.1% in front/back‐contacted solar cells. We achieve conversion efficiency of 21.8% and 22.0% for front and rear junction configurations, respectively. The optical effectiveness of contact stacks based on nc‐SiOx:H is demonstrated by averagely 1.5 mA/cm2 higher short‐circuit current density thus nearly 1%abs higher cell efficiency as compared with the (n)a‐Si:H.

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“…These simulations also show a rather high parasitic absorption (1.25 mA/cm 2 ) in the n-doped FSF layer. From previous works we know that a nc-SiOx layer can be used as FSF, together with an ITO front contact, to reduce the parasitic absorption, improve Jsc and obtain  > 22.6 % [17,18]. However the combination with the ZnO:Al/a-SiO2 AR bilayer is still ongoing work.…”

Section: C) Optical Benefits Of the Different Ar Approachesmentioning

confidence: 99%

ITO-Free Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells With ZnO:Al/SiO₂ Front Electrodes Reaching a Conversion Efficiency of 23%

Morales-Vilches

Cruz

Pingel

et al. 2019

IEEE J. Photovoltaics

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Silicon heterojunction solar cells (SHJ) have been increasingly attracting attention to the PV community in the last years due to their high efficiency potential and the lean production process. We report on the development of a stable baseline process for SHJ cells with a focus on the optical improvement of the solar cells' front side. An amorphous silicon oxide layer (a-SiO 2 ) was used as an anti-reflective coating (AR) on top of the finished SHJ devices. Both optical simulations and experimental results demonstrate a short circuit current density (J sc ) improvement of 0.4 mA/cm 2 when applying the a-SiO 2 AR, yielding maximum conversion efficiencies of 23.0 %. Full-size cells with 244-cm 2 total area have been produced using three front contact stacks: ITO as reference, ZnO:Al and ZnO:Al/SiO 2 showing the J sc improvement with the double AR configuration. Damp-heat tests on those samples are currently being carried out.

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Nanocrystalline n-Type Silicon Oxide Front Contacts for Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells: Photocurrent Enhancement on Planar and Textured Substrates

Cited by 59 publications

References 27 publications

Ultra-thin nanocrystalline n-type silicon oxide front contact layers for rear-emitter silicon heterojunction solar cells

Ultra-thin nanocrystalline n-type silicon oxide front contact layers for rear-emitter silicon heterojunction solar cells

Doped hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon oxide layers for high‐efficiency c‐Si heterojunction solar cells

ITO-Free Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells With ZnO:Al/SiO₂ Front Electrodes Reaching a Conversion Efficiency of 23%

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Nanocrystalline n-Type Silicon Oxide Front Contacts for Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells: Photocurrent Enhancement on Planar and Textured Substrates

Cited by 59 publications

References 27 publications

Ultra-thin nanocrystalline n-type silicon oxide front contact layers for rear-emitter silicon heterojunction solar cells

Ultra-thin nanocrystalline n-type silicon oxide front contact layers for rear-emitter silicon heterojunction solar cells

Doped hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon oxide layers for high‐efficiency c‐Si heterojunction solar cells

ITO-Free Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells With ZnO:Al/SiO2 Front Electrodes Reaching a Conversion Efficiency of 23%

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Product

Resources

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ITO-Free Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells With ZnO:Al/SiO₂ Front Electrodes Reaching a Conversion Efficiency of 23%