Characterization and optimization of ITO thin films for application in heterojunction silicon solar cells

Lien, Shui−Yang

doi:10.1016/j.tsf.2010.03.023

Cited by 73 publications

(43 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Nevertheless amorphous silicon is more resistive than crystalline silicon, and to ensure good carrier collection it is mandatory to use transparent conductive oxide layer. The one mainly used is indium tin oxide (ITO) because it shows good transmittance (>80%) over the solar spectrum coupled to good conductivity [6,7]. A 75 nm to 80 nm layer of ITO can also be used as an antireflective coating (ARC).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of annealing on silicon heterojunction solar cells with textured ZnO:Al as transparent conductive oxide

et al. 2012

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We report on silicon heterojunction solar cells using textured aluminum doped zinc oxide (ZnO:Al) as a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) instead of flat indium tin oxide. Double side silicon heterojunction solar cell were fabricated by radio frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition on high life time N-type float zone crystalline silicon wafers. On both sides of these cells we have deposited by radio frequency magnetron sputtering ZnO:Al layers of thickness ranging from 800 nm to 1400 nm. These TCO layers were then textured by dipping the samples in a 0.5% hydrochloric acid. External quantum efficiency as well as I-V under 1 sun illumination measurements showed an increase of the current for the cells using textured ZnO:Al. The cells were then annealed at 150• C, 175• C and 200• C during 30 min in ambient atmosphere and characterized at each annealing step. The results show that annealing has no impact on the open circuit voltage of the devices but that up to a 175• C it enhances their short circuit current, consistent with an overall enhancement of their spectral response. Our results suggest that ZnO:Al is a promising material to increase the short circuit current (Jsc) while avoiding texturing the c-Si substrate.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of annealing on silicon heterojunction solar cells with textured ZnO:Al as transparent conductive oxide

et al. 2012

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“…Insets in each graphic correspond to spectral regions where In 3d and Sn 3d peaks can be found. In all cases, Sn 3d bonds are split into two peaks centred at 495 and 485 eV for Sn 3d 5 and Sn 3d 3 , respectively, while In 3d bonds are split into peaks at 451 eV for In 3d 3 and 444 eV for In 3d 5 . The separation between two peaks of the same element stands for spin orbital splitting.…”

Section: X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopymentioning

confidence: 92%

“…ITO thin films have been widely used to develop organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), solar cells, flat panel displays and transparent conducting electrodes, among others [4][5][6][7]. Moreover, some nanostructured materials have been extensively used for developing ultrasensitive, low-cost and miniaturized sensors, as they present large surface-to-volume ratio, favourable electrocatalytic activity and excellent electronic properties [8,9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Organosilane-functionalization of nanostructured indium tin oxide films

et al. 2016

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Fabrication and organosilane-functionalization and characterization of nanostructured ITO electrodes are reported. Nanostructured ITO electrodes were obtained by electron beam evaporation, and a subsequent annealing treatment was selectively performed to modify their crystalline state. An increase in geometrical surface area in comparison with thin-film electrodes area was observed by atomic force microscopy, implying higher electroactive surface area for nanostructured ITO electrodes and thus higher detection levels. To investigate the increase in detectability, chemical organosilane-functionalization of nanostructured ITO electrodes was performed. The formation of 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GOPTS) layers was detected by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. As an indirect method to confirm the presence of organosilane molecules on the ITO substrates, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were also carried out. Cyclic voltammograms of functionalized ITO electrodes presented lower reduction-oxidation peak currents compared with non-functionalized ITO electrodes. These results demonstrate the presence of the epoxysilane coating on the ITO surface. EIS showed that organosilane-functionalized electrodes present higher polarization resistance, acting as an electronic barrier for the electron transfer between the conductive solution and the ITO electrode. The results of these electrochemical measurements, together with the significant difference in the X-ray spectra between bare ITO and organosilane-functionalized ITO substrates, may point to a new exploitable oxide-based nanostructured material for biosensing applications. As a first step towards sensing, rapid functionalization of such substrates and their application to electrochemical analysis is tested in this work. Interestingly, oxide-based materials are highly integrable with the silicon chip technology, which would permit the easy adaptation of such sensors into lab-on-a-chip configurations, providing benefits such as reduced size and weight to facilitate on-chip integration, and leading to low-cost mass production of microanalysis systems.

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“…Transparent conductive oxide (TCO) films are most important material from technological point of view mainly for its wide applications in various electronic and optoelectronic devices, such as solar cells, gas sensors, varistors, organic material based microelectronic, polymer electronics and diodes due to their unique materials properties such as high electrical conductivity and high optical transmittance [1][2][3][4][5]. Among them magnetron sputtered fluorine doped tin oxide (SnO 2 :F), indium tin oxide (ITO), and aluminum doped zinc oxide (ZnO:Al) thin films are most attractive materials for their non-toxicity, ease of availability, high sticking co-efficient with substrate materials and unique opto-electronic properties.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Merits and Demerits of Transparent Conducting Magnetron Sputtered ZnO:Al, ITO and SnO2:F Thin Films for Solar Cell Applications

Das

2016

J. Inst. Eng. India Ser. D

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Transparent conducting ZnO:Al and indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films were deposited by magnetron sputtering under reactive environment. Both the transparent conducting oxide (TCO) films were exposed intentionally in hydrogen environment at 350°C calcinations temperature to study the post treated TCO film's opto-electronic, structural as well as surface morphological properties. Electrical resistivity of both ZnO:Al, ITO and SnO 2 :F films are comparable (order of 10 -4 X-cm), lowest sheet resistance are 8.5, 3.7 and 4.6 X/sq respectively and slightly improved after hydrogen exposure at 350°C. Optical transmittance and internal texture of hydrogen environment exposed ZnO films remains invariant, but in case of ITO, SnO 2 :F films optical transmittance deteriorated drastically. Hexagonal wurtzite structure with (002) c-axis orientation is observed for preand post-hydrogen exposed ZnO films whereas internal texture as well as crystallographic orientation of ITO and SnO 2 :F films have significantly changed. Surface grains of ITO films have been significantly enhanced, but no such variations are observed in ZnO surface morphology. ZnO:Al and ITO films show unique plasmonic properties in near infrared transmittance due to free carrier generation in conduction band. Based on surface features/morphology, haze factor and internal texture light scattering mechanism is modeled.

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Characterization and optimization of ITO thin films for application in heterojunction silicon solar cells

Cited by 73 publications

References 12 publications

Effect of annealing on silicon heterojunction solar cells with textured ZnO:Al as transparent conductive oxide

Effect of annealing on silicon heterojunction solar cells with textured ZnO:Al as transparent conductive oxide

Organosilane-functionalization of nanostructured indium tin oxide films

Merits and Demerits of Transparent Conducting Magnetron Sputtered ZnO:Al, ITO and SnO2:F Thin Films for Solar Cell Applications

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