Interface recombination in amorphous/crystalline silicon solar cells, a simulation study

Froitzheim, A.; Stangl, Rolf; Elstner, L.; Schmidt, M.; Fuhs, W.

doi:10.1109/pvsc.2002.1190832

Cited by 33 publications

(49 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…This points to the fact that band offsets may play a role too in operation of a-Si:H films as semi-permeable carrier membranes, and thus the operation of SHJ devices. More quantitatively, simulation programs such as AFORS-HET developed by HZB in Germany [169], or others [170], or device-circuit modeling [171] may further aid in understanding SHJ device operation.…”

Section: Basic Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

High-efficiency Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells: A Review

Wolf¹,

Descoeudres²,

Holman³

et al. 2012

Green

108

113

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Abstract. Silicon heterojunction solar cells consist of thin amorphous silicon layers deposited on crystalline silicon wafers. This design enables energy conversion efficiencies above 20% at the industrial production level. The key feature of this technology is that the metal contacts, which are highly recombination active in traditional, diffused-junction cells, are electronically separated from the absorber by insertion of a wider bandgap layer. This enables the record open-circuit voltages typically associated with heterojunction devices without the need for expensive patterning techniques. This article reviews the salient points of this technology. First, we briefly elucidate device characteristics. This is followed by a discussion of each processing step, device operation, and device stability and industrial upscaling, including the fabrication of solar cells with energyconversion efficiencies over 21%. Finally, future trends are pointed out.

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Section: Basic Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

High-efficiency Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells: A Review

Wolf¹,

Descoeudres²,

Holman³

et al. 2012

Green

108

113

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“…Computer modeling of HIT structures has been carried out, not only to understand carrier transport in these structures, [12][13][14][15][16] but also to assess which HIT structure-whether on N-type or P-type c-Si substrate-is capable of attaining the higher efficiency. 13,14,17 In this article, we have used the detailed numerical electrical-optical model, Amorphous Semiconductor Device Modeling Program ͑ASDMP͒, 18,19 to trace the development of the Sanyo cells, beginning with their initial front HIT ͑with a heterojunction ͑HJ͒ only on the emitter side, and a conventional BSF layer, that is part of the c-Si wafer itself͒ solar cells, having rather low values of the open-circuit voltages ͑V oc ͒. 4 Their initial double HIT cells ͑where both the emitter and BSF layers are amorphous, and hence have HJs at either end of the c-Si wafer͒ also suffered from low V oc .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Modeling of HIT structures on N-type c-Si substrate has already been carried out by a few groups, [12][13][14]16 one of which 12 has tried to establish that tunneling of holes across the potential barrier due to the large valence band discontinuity, which may explain the high FF in these structures. The second group, 13,14 however, has ignored tunneling and has shown that the HIT cells on N-type c-Si substrates are expected to have higher values of both J sc and V oc , but lower values of the FF, relative to HIT cells on P-type c-Si substrates.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The second group, 13,14 however, has ignored tunneling and has shown that the HIT cells on N-type c-Si substrates are expected to have higher values of both J sc and V oc , but lower values of the FF, relative to HIT cells on P-type c-Si substrates. A third group 16 has argued that indium tin oxide ͑ITO͒, the standard transparent conducting oxide ͑TCO͒ used as the front contact in HIT cells, is an N-type semiconductor, and that therefore this structure is essentially a N ͑ITO͒/P-aSi:H/N-c-Si structure, which should produce poor performance, with a particularly low FF.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Carrier transport and sensitivity issues in heterojunction with intrinsic thin layer solar cells on N-type crystalline silicon: A computer simulation study

Rahmouni¹,

Datta

Chatterjee

et al. 2010

Journal of Applied Physics

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Heterojunction with intrinsic thin layer or "HIT" solar cells are considered favorable for large-scale manufacturing of solar modules, as they combine the high efficiency of crystalline silicon ͑c-Si͒ solar cells, with the low cost of amorphous silicon technology. In this article, based on experimental data published by Sanyo, we simulate the performance of a series of HIT cells on N-type crystalline silicon substrates with hydrogenated amorphous silicon ͑a-Si:H͒ emitter layers, to gain insight into carrier transport and the general functioning of these devices. Both single and double HIT structures are modeled, beginning with the initial Sanyo cells having low open circuit voltages but high fill factors, right up to double HIT cells exhibiting record values for both parameters. The one-dimensional numerical modeling program "Amorphous Semiconductor Device Modeling Program" has been used for this purpose. We show that the simulations can correctly reproduce the electrical characteristics and temperature dependence for a set of devices with varying I-layer thickness. Under standard AM1.5 illumination, we show that the transport is dominated by the diffusion mechanism, similar to conventional P/N homojunction solar cells, and tunneling is not required to describe the performance of state-of-the art devices. Also modeling has been used to study the sensitivity of N-c-Si HIT solar cell performance to various parameters. We find that the solar cell output is particularly sensitive to the defect states on the surface of the c-Si wafer facing the emitter, to the indium tin oxide/P-a-Si:H front contact barrier height and to the band gap and activation energy of the P-a-Si:H emitter, while the I-a-Si:H layer is necessary to achieve both high V oc and fill factor, as it passivates the defects on the surface of the c-Si wafer. Finally, we describe in detail for most parameters how they affect current transport and cell properties.

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“…For this reason, simulation programmes have been developed, namely SC-Simul [8,9] and AFORS-HET [10,11] with particular emphasis on the simulation of a-Si:H/c-Si heterojunction solar cells with their thick c-Si layers. For example, the influence of interface defects on the device in the dark and under illumination can be studied.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Kirchhoff's generalised law applied to amorphous silicon/crystalline silicon heterostructures

Brüggemann

2009

Philosophical Magazine

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Interface recombination in amorphous/crystalline silicon solar cells, a simulation study

Cited by 33 publications

References 2 publications

High-efficiency Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells: A Review

High-efficiency Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells: A Review

Carrier transport and sensitivity issues in heterojunction with intrinsic thin layer solar cells on N-type crystalline silicon: A computer simulation study

Kirchhoff's generalised law applied to amorphous silicon/crystalline silicon heterostructures

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