Impact of hydrogen on the boron-oxygen-related lifetime degradation and regeneration kinetics in crystalline silicon

Helmich, Lailah; Walter, Dominic; Falster, R.; Voronkov, V. V.; Schmidt, Jan

doi:10.1016/j.solmat.2021.111340

Cited by 11 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…[14,16] Our results on the effects of regeneration-like treatments on the concentration of donor state of the B s O 2 defect in n þ -p diodes show that no permanent deactivation of the B s O 2 defect can happen in the non-hydrogenated samples. These findings are not consistent with the suggested non-hydrogen related regeneration mechanism of BO-LID, [14,16] and support the arguments that the presence of hydrogen in the bulk is crucial for occurrence of the regeneration process. [12,13] The goals of the RBA treatments applied in our study to the hydrogenated B-doped Cz-Si samples were the following: 1) to transform the B s O 2 defects into the shallow acceptor state; 2) to release H atoms from the B s -H complexes which were formed upon hydrogenation; and 3) to initiate the interaction of H þ atoms with the B s O À 2 defect.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 74%

“…It has been argued in a few studies that the BO-LID regeneration consists of two processes. [14,16] Hydrogen plays a key role in one of them, while the second one occurs without hydrogen. [14,16] Our results on the effects of regeneration-like treatments on the concentration of donor state of the B s O 2 defect in n þ -p diodes show that no permanent deactivation of the B s O 2 defect can happen in the non-hydrogenated samples.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[ 16 ] It was found that while hydrogen plays no role in the BO‐related lifetime degradation mechanism, it is only involved in one of the regeneration mechanisms while the other can occur without hydrogen. [ 16 ]…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[16] It was found that while hydrogen plays no role in the BO-related lifetime degradation mechanism, it is only involved in one of the regeneration mechanisms while the other can occur without hydrogen. [16] A possible source of hydrogen within the Si, important for regeneration, is the B-H pairs. It was proposed that during regeneration conditions, splitting of B-H pairs can occur (under carrier injection) which increases the concentration of bulk hydrogen available to contribute to regeneration.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[14] In a more recent study, it was proposed that the overall regeneration of the BO defects is composed of two different mechanisms. [16] It was found that while hydrogen plays no role in the BO-related lifetime degradation mechanism, it is only involved in one of the regeneration mechanisms while the other can occur without hydrogen. [16] A possible source of hydrogen within the Si, important for regeneration, is the B-H pairs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Interactions of Hydrogen Atoms with Acceptor–Dioxygen Complexes in Czochralski‐Grown Silicon

Fattah

Маркевич

Guzman

et al. 2022

Physica Status Solidi (a)

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It is debated in the silicon PV community whether or not the presence of hydrogen is essential for the permanent suppression (“regeneration”) of the recombination activity of the boron–oxygen (BO) defect, which is responsible for light‐induced degradation (LID) of solar cells produced from B‐doped oxygen‐rich silicon. The BO‐LID defect has been identified as a BsO2 complex which has negative‐U properties. This study focuses on the interactions of hydrogen with the BsO2 defect to elucidate the BO‐LID regeneration mechanism. With the use of junction spectroscopy techniques, the changes in concentration of the BsO2 donor state in diodes which are fabricated on Czochralski‐grown (Cz) B‐doped Si and subjected to hydrogenation and subsequent heat treatments have been monitored. It is found that annealing of the hydrogenated Cz‐Si:B diodes in the temperature range 398–448 K under the application of reverse bias (RBA) results in nearly total disappearance of the BsO2 defect. It is argued that electrically neutral BsO2–H complexes have been formed upon the RBA treatments. According to ab initio calculations, the binding energy of H+ to BsO2− exceeds that of H+ to Bs− by at least 0.1 eV, and the resulting BsO2–H complexes are electrically inactive.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 74%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Interactions of Hydrogen Atoms with Acceptor–Dioxygen Complexes in Czochralski‐Grown Silicon

Fattah

Маркевич

Guzman

et al. 2022

Physica Status Solidi (a)

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Properties of Hydrogen Species in n‐Type Silicon Deduced from In‐Diffusion Profiles

Voronkov,

Falster

2024

Physica Status Solidi (a)

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Reported depth profiles of hydrogen in plasma‐exposed n‐Si samples can be fitted with a simple model of hydrogen transport by negative and neutral species (H− and H0) accompanied by a reversible formation of hydrogen–donor pairs (HD) and by an irreversible production of mobile dimers H2A—in particular by a bulk pairing reaction of the H− and H0 species. Contrary to a complicated behavior of hydrogen found in p‐Si (with multiple independent states for positive ions and passivated boron), the situation in n‐Si appears to be much simpler as only single states for H−, H0, and HD are sufficient for profile reproduction. The parameters deduced from the profiles are the diffusivity of H−, the characteristic electron concentration marking equal contributions of H− and H0 into hydrogen transport, and the diffusivity of H2A dimers (in the available temperature range 120–225 °C).

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Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells and p‐type Crystalline Silicon Wafers: A Historical Perspective

et al. 2022

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The first reports of both boron–oxygen (BO)‐related light‐induced degradation (BO‐LID) and amorphous/crystalline silicon heterojunction (SHJ) solar cell fabrication date back to the early 1970s. However, the complete development of the “modern” SHJ structure took place well before BO defect stabilization processes were developed. Due to the susceptibility of p‐type Czochralski (Cz)‐grown silicon to BO‐LID, such wafers were deemed unsuitable for SHJ solar cells. In addition to stability issues, lower charge carrier lifetimes due to contamination and challenges with surface passivation posed barriers to the adoption of p‐type wafers in SHJ applications. Herein, these three key challenges are discussed in detail. Kinetic modeling and experimental results reveal the severe impact of BO‐LID in p‐type SHJ solar cells and provide possible explanations as to why earlier attempts using p‐type wafers might have failed. The role of gettering and advanced hydrogenation in stabilizing BO defects in SHJ solar cells is demonstrated experimentally. Finally, a summary of the effective surface recombination velocities reported in the literature for hydrogenated intrinsic amorphous silicon passivation of p‐ and n‐type crystalline silicon wafers is presented. Based on these findings, the potential of p‐type wafers to enable a next‐generation of high‐efficiency solar cells featuring carrier‐selective contacts is discussed.

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Impact of hydrogen on the boron-oxygen-related lifetime degradation and regeneration kinetics in crystalline silicon

Cited by 11 publications

References 14 publications

Interactions of Hydrogen Atoms with Acceptor–Dioxygen Complexes in Czochralski‐Grown Silicon

Interactions of Hydrogen Atoms with Acceptor–Dioxygen Complexes in Czochralski‐Grown Silicon

Properties of Hydrogen Species in n‐Type Silicon Deduced from In‐Diffusion Profiles

Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells and p‐type Crystalline Silicon Wafers: A Historical Perspective

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