This title appears in the Scientific Report :
2009
Please use the identifier:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3104781 in citations.
Please use the identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/2128/17248 in citations.
Oxygen and nitrogen impurities in microcrystalline silicon deposited under optimized conditions: Influence on material properties and solar cell performance
Oxygen and nitrogen impurities in microcrystalline silicon deposited under optimized conditions: Influence on material properties and solar cell performance
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 ox...
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Personal Name(s): | Kilper, T. |
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Beyer, W. / Bräuer, G. / Bronger, T. / Carius, R. / van den Donker, M. N. / Hrunski, D. / Lambertz, A. / Merdzhanova, T. / Mück, A. / Rech, B. / Reetz, W. / Schmitz, R. / Zastrow, U. / Gordijn, A. | |
Contributing Institute: |
Photovoltaik; IEF-5 |
Published in: | Journal of applied physics, 105 (2009) S. 074509 |
Imprint: |
Melville, NY
American Institute of Physics
2009
|
Physical Description: |
074509 |
DOI: |
10.1063/1.3104781 |
Document Type: |
Journal Article |
Research Program: |
Erneuerbare Energien |
Series Title: |
Journal of Applied Physics
105 |
Subject (ZB): | |
Link: |
Get full text OpenAccess OpenAccess |
Publikationsportal JuSER |
Please use the identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/2128/17248 in citations.
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. (C) 2009 American Institute of Physics. [DOI: 10.1063/1.3104781] |