Material Improvements and Device Processing on APIVT-Grown Poly-Si Thin Layers

Material Improvements and Device Processing on APIVT-Grown Poly-Si Thin Layers

NREL

Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper

Abstract

Means to develop efficient solar cells using as-deposited large-grain (~20 mm) atmospheric pressure iodine vapor transport (APIVT) thin-silicon materials are explored with grain boundary passivation and low-temperature device processing. Hot-wire chemical vapor deposition (HWCVD) a-SiNx:H films are used as anti-reflection coating and passivation layers. After thermal annealing at varioustemperatures, Voc of the solar cell devices was improved by about 10%, and Jsc was increased by as much as 46%. A HWCVD-deposited a(mc)-Si emitter reduces the open-circuit voltage loss caused by grain boundaries in the polycrystalline APIVT-Si layers. Epitaxial growth on metallurgical grade (MG) silicon seeded substrates results in very large grain sizes so that a much less stringent passivationprocess would be needed. With optimized growth conditions, we are able to eliminate gas-phase nucleation that leads to spurious growth in the bulk and on the surface of silicon films. A smoother surface and nearly isotropic growth characteristics are also obtained, compared to films grown earlier.

Original language	American English
Number of pages	6
State	Published - 2003
Event	National Center for Photovoltaics (NCPV) and Solar Program Review Meeting - Denver, Colorado Duration: 24 Mar 2003 → 26 Mar 2003

Conference

Conference	National Center for Photovoltaics (NCPV) and Solar Program Review Meeting
City	Denver, Colorado
Period	24/03/03 → 26/03/03

NLR Publication Number

NREL/CP-520-33574

Keywords

direct deposition
polycrystalline silicon
solar cells
thin films

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@conference{90df3c59ceb547b7a60ab8a2c92ca0b4,

title = "Material Improvements and Device Processing on APIVT-Grown Poly-Si Thin Layers",

abstract = "Means to develop efficient solar cells using as-deposited large-grain (\textasciitilde{}20 mm) atmospheric pressure iodine vapor transport (APIVT) thin-silicon materials are explored with grain boundary passivation and low-temperature device processing. Hot-wire chemical vapor deposition (HWCVD) a-SiNx:H films are used as anti-reflection coating and passivation layers. After thermal annealing at varioustemperatures, Voc of the solar cell devices was improved by about 10\%, and Jsc was increased by as much as 46\%. A HWCVD-deposited a(mc)-Si emitter reduces the open-circuit voltage loss caused by grain boundaries in the polycrystalline APIVT-Si layers. Epitaxial growth on metallurgical grade (MG) silicon seeded substrates results in very large grain sizes so that a much less stringent passivationprocess would be needed. With optimized growth conditions, we are able to eliminate gas-phase nucleation that leads to spurious growth in the bulk and on the surface of silicon films. A smoother surface and nearly isotropic growth characteristics are also obtained, compared to films grown earlier.",

keywords = "direct deposition, polycrystalline silicon, solar cells, thin films",

author = "NREL",

year = "2003",

language = "American English",

note = "National Center for Photovoltaics (NCPV) and Solar Program Review Meeting ; Conference date: 24-03-2003 Through 26-03-2003",

}

TY - CONF

T1 - Material Improvements and Device Processing on APIVT-Grown Poly-Si Thin Layers

AU - NREL, null

PY - 2003

Y1 - 2003

N2 - Means to develop efficient solar cells using as-deposited large-grain (~20 mm) atmospheric pressure iodine vapor transport (APIVT) thin-silicon materials are explored with grain boundary passivation and low-temperature device processing. Hot-wire chemical vapor deposition (HWCVD) a-SiNx:H films are used as anti-reflection coating and passivation layers. After thermal annealing at varioustemperatures, Voc of the solar cell devices was improved by about 10%, and Jsc was increased by as much as 46%. A HWCVD-deposited a(mc)-Si emitter reduces the open-circuit voltage loss caused by grain boundaries in the polycrystalline APIVT-Si layers. Epitaxial growth on metallurgical grade (MG) silicon seeded substrates results in very large grain sizes so that a much less stringent passivationprocess would be needed. With optimized growth conditions, we are able to eliminate gas-phase nucleation that leads to spurious growth in the bulk and on the surface of silicon films. A smoother surface and nearly isotropic growth characteristics are also obtained, compared to films grown earlier.

AB - Means to develop efficient solar cells using as-deposited large-grain (~20 mm) atmospheric pressure iodine vapor transport (APIVT) thin-silicon materials are explored with grain boundary passivation and low-temperature device processing. Hot-wire chemical vapor deposition (HWCVD) a-SiNx:H films are used as anti-reflection coating and passivation layers. After thermal annealing at varioustemperatures, Voc of the solar cell devices was improved by about 10%, and Jsc was increased by as much as 46%. A HWCVD-deposited a(mc)-Si emitter reduces the open-circuit voltage loss caused by grain boundaries in the polycrystalline APIVT-Si layers. Epitaxial growth on metallurgical grade (MG) silicon seeded substrates results in very large grain sizes so that a much less stringent passivationprocess would be needed. With optimized growth conditions, we are able to eliminate gas-phase nucleation that leads to spurious growth in the bulk and on the surface of silicon films. A smoother surface and nearly isotropic growth characteristics are also obtained, compared to films grown earlier.

KW - direct deposition

KW - polycrystalline silicon

KW - solar cells

KW - thin films

M3 - Paper

T2 - National Center for Photovoltaics (NCPV) and Solar Program Review Meeting

Y2 - 24 March 2003 through 26 March 2003

ER -

Material Improvements and Device Processing on APIVT-Grown Poly-Si Thin Layers

Abstract

Conference

NLR Publication Number

Keywords

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