On the bandgap of hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon intrinsic materials used in thin film silicon solar cells

Yan, Baojie; Yue, Guozhen; Yang, Jeffrey; Guha, S.

doi:10.1016/j.solmat.2012.12.038

Cited by 31 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…This may be because the gap of nc-Si:H in a-Si:H is smaller than that of amorphous sample. 13 Normally, the gap of nc-Si:H is expected to be larger because of quantum confinement effects. However, the experiments by Yan et al 13 seem to indicate that this is not so in this case.…”

Section: Relation Between the Width Of Lrpf And Transport Propertiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…13 Normally, the gap of nc-Si:H is expected to be larger because of quantum confinement effects. However, the experiments by Yan et al 13 seem to indicate that this is not so in this case. Perhaps for the silicon nanocrystals imbedded in hydrogenated amorphous silicon the boundary conditions are such that the carriers are not fully confined [informally suggested by H. Fritzsche].…”

Section: Relation Between the Width Of Lrpf And Transport Propertiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…dangling bonds, using the energy released from the recombination. When a-Si:H and nc-Si are next to each other, a transfer of charge takes place at the interface and since nc-Si has a smaller gap 13 a minimum in the nc-Si region is formed. This may be thought of as a kind of heterojunction in 3 dimensions, near which the LRPF attract the photo generated electrons as well as holes towards the minimum in nc-Si region.…”

Section: A Mechanism For Improved Stabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Light induced degradation of amorphous silicon containing nanocrystalline silicon

2014

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The effect of light soaking (LS) is studied in hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) containing different amounts of nanocrystals, prepared by varying the deposition conditions in a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) system. We find that the presence of nanocrystals (nc-Si) stabilizes the a-Si:H against LS. The long range potential fluctuations (LRPF) are measured and we find that they become smaller as the fraction of nanocrystals (χ) in the films increases. Raman spectra show a peak at 490 cm−1, which is taken to be the result of Intermediate Range Order (IRO) in the films. This IRO peak appears just when the hydrogen dilution is sufficiently high for the crystallization to begin, and increases with increasing hydrogen dilution as the crystallization increases. In contrast LRPF have maximum width when χ is zero and it decreases as χ increases. Further, the degradation upon LS is negligible when χ > 25%. We suggest an alternative mechanism for the improved stability, in which the photogenerated carriers moving under the influence of the long range potential fluctuations have a propensity to go to nc-Si, and recombine in that region.

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Section: Relation Between the Width Of Lrpf And Transport Propertiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Relation Between the Width Of Lrpf And Transport Propertiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: A Mechanism For Improved Stabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Light induced degradation of amorphous silicon containing nanocrystalline silicon

2014

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“…This uses the fact that the band gap of nc-Si has been found to be smaller than a-Si:H [47]. Therefore the photo carriers generated in a-Si:H have a propensity to move towards S.C. Agarwal nc-Si (because of the electric field of the a-Si:H/nc-Si heterojunction) and recombine there [15].…”

Section: Presence Of Nanocrystalline Silicon and Stabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The improved stability of a-Si:H containing nc-Si has also been understood [15] by noting that nc-Si has a smaller gap than a-Si:H [47] and therefore provides minima, which provide an efficient additional channel for recombination. Since there are very few recombination events in a-Si:H and nc-Si hardly degrades, the stability improves.…”

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confidence: 99%

Influence of heterogeneities on the electronic properties of hydrogenated amorphous silicon

Agarwal

2014

Philosophical Magazine

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An attempt is made to highlight the importance of inhomogeneities in hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H), in controlling its electronic properties. We note that hydrogen increases the gap in a-Si:H and that hydrogen is distributed inhomogeneously in it. This gives rise to long-range potential fluctuations, which are mostly uncorrelated and usually ignored. These and other such considerations have not only enabled us to gain new insights into the behaviour of a-Si:H in general, but have also allowed us to resolve several unsolved puzzles. Among these are questions like why undoped a-Si:H is n-type, why the creation of dangling bonds upon light soaking (LS) so inefficient, why a-Si:H degrades more upon LS when it is doped, why the reciprocity fails for light-induced degradation, why presence of nanocrystalline silicon improves stability and so on. We provide evidence to support some of our ideas and make suggestions for verifying the others.

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Light Management in Crystalline and Thin Film Silicon Solar Cells

Haug

2016

Photovoltaic Solar Energy

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On the bandgap of hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon intrinsic materials used in thin film silicon solar cells

Cited by 31 publications

References 26 publications

Light induced degradation of amorphous silicon containing nanocrystalline silicon

Light induced degradation of amorphous silicon containing nanocrystalline silicon

Influence of heterogeneities on the electronic properties of hydrogenated amorphous silicon

Light Management in Crystalline and Thin Film Silicon Solar Cells

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