1998
DOI: 10.1557/proc-507-813
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Microcrystalline Silicon-Germanium Alloys for Absorption Layers in Thin Film Solar Cells

Abstract: Thin microcrystalline silicon-germanium films (μ-Sil.xGex:H) prepared by PECVD at 95 MHz have been investigated. The optical absorption of these films increases in the infrared spectral region with increasing germanium content. In addition to the shift of the indirect gap an increase of the absorption coefficient above the band edge is observed. The material shows high crystallinity and exhibits good structural quality similar to pure μ-Si:H films. The films are homogeneous on a macroscopic to a microscopic sc… Show more

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Cited by 31 publications
(17 citation statements)
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“…The Ge content in the films was estimated from the peak position of the SiÀSi optical mode (v Si-Si ) in the Raman spectrum according to v Si-Si %520-70x (cm À1 ) [10,13]. In this study, we did not attempt the profiling technique of Ge content during the film deposition, which is known to improve the carrier collection characteristics in hydrogenated amorphous Si 1-x Ge x (a-Si 1-x Ge x :H) solar cells [14].…”
Section: Methodsmentioning
confidence: 99%
See 1 more Smart Citation
“…The Ge content in the films was estimated from the peak position of the SiÀSi optical mode (v Si-Si ) in the Raman spectrum according to v Si-Si %520-70x (cm À1 ) [10,13]. In this study, we did not attempt the profiling technique of Ge content during the film deposition, which is known to improve the carrier collection characteristics in hydrogenated amorphous Si 1-x Ge x (a-Si 1-x Ge x :H) solar cells [14].…”
Section: Methodsmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Here, we propose an alternative approach, i.e., the absorption enhancement of the bottom cell by alloying with germanium. Hydrogenated microcrystalline Si 1-x Ge x (mc-Si 1-x Ge x :H) alloys have been developed as a narrower variable band gap absorber for multi-junction solar cell application [9][10][11][12]. Recently, we have fabricated p-i-n single junction solar cells incorporating mc-Si 1-enhancement in the infrared response with excellent performance stability under prolonged light soaking [12].…”
Section: Introductionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…The lc-Si 1Àx Ge x :H films can be grown at lowtemperature ($200°C) by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), demonstrating the higher absorption coefficients compared to lc-Si:H over the entire solar spectrum [1][2][3][4]. Although this material is advantageous in terms of optical absorption, the photocarrier transport properties of lc-Si 1Àx Ge x :H layers and solar cells degrade severely as the Ge content increases in the film [2][3][4]. Despite the importance of material characterization, the dependence of electronic properties of lc-Si 1Àx Ge x :H upon variation of alloy composition has not been studied in detail.…”
Section: Introductionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…However, the achievable efficiency of the a-Si:H/lc-Si:H tandem solar cells is still limited by the lack of infrared response in the lc-Si:H bottom cell owing to its weak infrared absorption. To extend the spectral sensitivities of solar cells into longer infrared wavelengths, we have proposed the application of hydrogenated microcrystalline silicongermanium alloys (lc-Si 1Àx Ge x :H) as a bottom cell material in a triple-junction structure, i.e., a-Si:H/lc-Si:H/lcSi 1Àx Ge x :H. The lc-Si 1Àx Ge x :H films can be grown at low-temperature ($200°C) by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), exhibiting the higher absorption coefficients compared to lc-Si:H over the entire solar spectrum [1][2][3][4]. Although this material is advantageous in terms of optical absorption, the photocarrier collection in lc-Si 1Àx Ge x :H p-i-n solar cells has been shown to degrade severely as the Ge content increases in the i-layer particularly for x > 0.2 [3,4].…”
Section: Introductionmentioning
confidence: 99%