Power generation characteristics of Schottky-type solar cells fabricated using barium silicide

Abstract

We studied a novel method of increasing the efficiency of solar cells using BaSi2 as a semiconductor. BaSi2 could be deposited by RF magnetron sputtering using a polycrystalline BaSi2 target, followed by annealing at 500 °C for 30 min in N2 ambient. Furthermore, Schottky-type solar cells using BaSi2 were fabricated. The crucial point is that Al–Nd was used to form the Schottky junction between the BaSi2 film and the Al–Nd electrode. Additionally, Si3N4 (3–5 nm) was used as an oxidation prevention layer. Under irradiation at 90 K, resulting in a short-circuit current density (Jsc) of 3.19 mA/cm2, an open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.76 V, and a fill factor (FF) of 0.28 were obtained.

Impact of Ba to Si deposition rate ratios during molecular beam epitaxy on carrier concentration and spectral response of BaSi2 epitaxial films

“…[25][26][27] Other types of solar cells such as Schottky-type BaSi 2 , BaSi 2 nanowires, BaSi 2 / perovskite stacked layers, and back-contacted BaSi 2 have also been proposed. [28][29][30][31] To further improve the g of BaSi 2 solar cells and to achieve homojunction solar cells, it is important to fabricate high-quality BaSi 2 epitaxial films.…”

Oxidation-Induced Structure Transformation: Thin-Film Synthesis and Interface Investigations of Barium Disilicide toward Potential Photovoltaic Applications

“…However, limited knowledge on sputtered BaSi 2 films currently cannot support the further advancement from the material to practical PV devices. 23 , 24 , 29 , 30 Fundamental research on synthesis and characterizations of sputtered BaSi 2 films still remain needed to be carried out.…”

“…In addition to the high deposition rate and elimination of ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) equipment, the sputtering process exhibits an excellent stoichiometry control for compound material depositions. However, limited knowledge on sputtered BaSi 2 films currently cannot support the further advancement from the material to practical PV devices. ,,, Fundamental research on synthesis and characterizations of sputtered BaSi 2 films still remain needed to be carried out.…”

Influence of the time-dependent vapor composition on structural properties of the BaSi2 thin films fabricated by vacuum evaporation

“…[26][27][28][29][30] Other solar cells using BaSi 2, such as Schottkytype, back-contacted, and nanowires, have also been studied. [31][32][33] Furthermore, both Ba and Si are abundant in the Earth's crust, 34) which can enable future large-scale deployment. We adopt vacuum evaporation as the method of fabricating BaSi 2 thin films due to several advantages including following: it does not require ultra-high vacuum, can fabricate films with a large area, and has a high deposition rate.…”