Manufacturing of a-Si/μc-Si thin-film solar cell using PECVD and silver coating

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Metallurgical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University,

2 Nano-Technology Centre, Cairo University, Sheikh Zayed Campus, Faculty of Engineering, Zewail City,

3 Department of Surface Treatment and Corrosion Control, Central Metallurgical Research and Development Institute CMRDI

4 Department of Metallurgical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University, Egypt, Centre for Renewable Energy, The British University in Egypt

Abstract

Thin films of mixed amorphous/microcrystalline-phases have been researched during the last decade for manufacturing silicon solar cells. In this work, the Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition PECVD process parameters; namely, dilution ratios and substrate temperature were controlled to build a p-i-n integrated junction at low dilution ratios with moderate substrate temperatures. In the first part of this work, an intrinsic layer was deposited on Indium Tin Oxide ITO glass by PECVD technique with different dilution ratios of silane in hydrogen to study the transition from amorphous to microcrystalline phase. Based on the results of this work, and in order to study the efficiency of the solar cell and the optical properties, the second part of the work included applying a layer of nano-silver by PVD technique at a range of temperatures up to 250􀹋C on one selected i-layer condition at a H2/SiH4 gas dilution ratio of 13.3 at 250􀹋C. The Si thin film was evaluated by field emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy. The performance of the a-Si:H/μc-Si:H solar cell was evaluated by current-voltage measurements and optical absorption. An efficiency of 5.98% is reported for this condition with an optical absorbance of 74% at 300nm wavelength (ultraviolet and near visible region).

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