Microcrystalline silicon and ‘micromorph’ tandem solar cells

Shah, Arvind; Meier, J.; Vallat-Sauvain, Evelyne; Droz, C.; Kroll, U.; Wyrsch, Nicolas; Guillet, J.; Graf, U.

doi:10.1016/S0040-6090(01)01658-3

Microcrystalline silicon and ‘micromorph’ tandem solar cells

Author(s)

Shah, Arvind

Meier, J.

Vallat-Sauvain, Evelyne

Droz, C.

Kroll, U.

Wyrsch, Nicolas

Guillet, J.

Graf, U.

Date issued

2002

In

Thin Solid Films, Elsevier, 2002/403-404//179-187

Subjects

thin-film silicon photovoltaic solar cells c-Si:H layers micromorph

Abstract

The case for thin-film silicon as one of the main future options for cost-effective photovoltaic solar cells is outlined. The limitations of present amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) solar cells are briefly mentioned. Hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon (μc-Si:H) deposited by PECVD (plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition) at low substrate temperatures (approx. 200 °C) constitutes a new and additional possibility for solar cells. Properties of intrinsic μc-Si:H layers deposited by PECVD at VHF (very high frequency) excitation frequencies are listed, together with the necessary conditions for obtaining device-grade material. Performances obtained so far with μc-Si:H solar cells are given; the latter are compared with estimated limits for pn- and pin-type devices with <i>E<sub>g</sub></i>=1.1 eV. Finally, present performances and future perspectives for ‘micromorph’ (μc-Si:H/a-Si:H) tandem solar cells are discussed.