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Material Properties of a-SiGe:H Solar Cells as a Function of Growth Rate

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Peter Hugger ,
JinWoo Lee ,
J. David Cohen ,
Guozhen Yue ,
Xixiang Xu ,
Baojie Yan ,
Jeff Yang  and
Subhendu Guha
Peter Hugger
Affiliation:
[email protected], University of Oregon, Department of Physics, 1274 University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, 97403, United States, 1-541-255-6668
JinWoo Lee
Affiliation:
[email protected], University of Oregon, Department of Physics, 1274 University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, 97403, United States, 1-541-255-6668
J. David Cohen
Affiliation:
[email protected], University of Oregon, Department of Physics, Eugene, Oregon, United States
Guozhen Yue
Affiliation:
[email protected], United Solar Ovonic LLC, 1100 West Maple Road, Troy, Michigan, 48084, United States, (248) 519-5317, (248) 362-4442
Xixiang Xu
Affiliation:
[email protected], United Solar Ovonic LLC, 1100 West Maple Road, Troy, Michigan, 48084, United States, (248) 519-5317, (248) 362-4442
Baojie Yan
Affiliation:
[email protected], United Solar Ovonic LLC, Troy, Michigan, United States
Jeff Yang
Affiliation:
[email protected], United Solar Ovonic LLC, 1100 West Maple Road, Troy, Michigan, 48084, United States, (248) 519-5317, (248) 362-4442
Subhendu Guha
Affiliation:
[email protected], United Solar Ovonic LLC, 1100 West Maple Road, Troy, Michigan, 48084, United States, (248) 519-5317, (248) 362-4442
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Abstract

We have examined a series of a Si,Ge:H alloy devices deposited using both RF and VHF glow discharge in two configurations: SS/n+/i (a-SiGe:H)/p+/ITO nip devices and SS/n+/i (a-SiGe:H)/Pd Schottky contact devices, over a range of deposition rates. We employed drive-level capacitance profiling (DLCP), modulated photocurrent (MPC), and transient junction photo-current (TPI) measurement methods to characterize the electronic properties in these materials. The DLCP profiles indicated quite low defect densities (mid 1015 cm-3. to low 1016 cm-3 depending on the Ge alloy fraction) for the low rate RF (∼1Å/s) deposited a-SiGe:H materials. In contrast to the RF process, the VHF deposited a-SiGe:H materials did not exhibit nearly as rapid an increase of defect density with the deposition rate, remaining well below 1017 cm-3. up to rates as high as 10Å/s. Simple examination of the TPI spectra on theses devices allowed us to determine valence band-tail widths.. Modulated photocurrent (MPC) obtained for several of these a-SiGe:H devices allowed us to deduce the conduction band-tail widths. In general, the a-Si,Ge:H materials exhibiting narrower valence band-tail widths and lower defect densities correlated with the best device performance.

Keywords

thin filmSielectronic structure
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1245: Symposium A – Amorphous and Polycrystalline Thin-Film Silicon Science and Technology-2010 , 2010 , 1245-A07-03
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2010

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