Symmetrical Al2O3-based passivation layers for p- and n-type silicon

Simon, Daniel K.; Jordan, Paul M.; Dirnstorfer, I.; Benner, F.; Richter, Claudia; Mikolajick, Thomas

doi:10.1016/j.solmat.2014.06.005

Cited by 45 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…Several materials such as SiC, a-Si:H, and Si 3 N 4 have been considered for surface passivation [1]. Recently, Al 2 O 3 films grown via atomic layer deposition (ALD) have been reported to have good surface passivation on p-type c-Si [2,3]. ALD provides a very precise control over the properties of the material, especially the uniformity and thickness of dielectric layers.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Simulation and Fabrication of HfO2 Thin Films Passivating Si from a Numerical Computer and Remote Plasma ALD

et al. 2017

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Recombination of charge carriers at silicon surfaces is one of the biggest loss mechanisms in crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cells. Hafnium oxide (HfO 2 ) has attracted much attention as a passivation layer for n-type c-Si because of its positive fixed charges and thermal stability. In this study, HfO 2 films are deposited on n-type c-Si using remote plasma atomic layer deposition (RP-ALD). Post-annealing is performed using a rapid thermal processing system at different temperatures in nitrogen ambient for 10 min. The effects of post-annealing temperature on the passivation properties of the HfO 2 films on c-Si are investigated. Personal computer one dimension numerical simulation for the passivated emitter and rear contact (PERC) solar cells with the HfO 2 passivation layer is also presented. By means of modeling and numerical computer simulation, the influence of different front surface recombination velocity (SRV) and rear SRV on n-type silicon solar cell performance was investigated. Simulation results show that the n-type PERC solar cell with HfO 2 single layer can have a conversion efficiency of 22.1%. The PERC using silicon nitride/HfO 2 stacked passivation layer can further increase efficiency to 23.02% with an open-circuit voltage of 689 mV.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Simulation and Fabrication of HfO2 Thin Films Passivating Si from a Numerical Computer and Remote Plasma ALD

et al. 2017

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“…In fact, various interlayers can be used to reduce the Q f of Al 2 O 3 layers to virtually zero. This includes SiO 2 layers prepared by ALD [13,28] and by plasmaenhanced chemical vapor deposition (PE-CVD) [20], thermallygrown SiO 2 [29], but also other materials such as HfO 2 [30]. Moreover, when SiO 2 is combined with other capping layers, such as in SiO 2 /SiN x or SiO 2 /Al 2 O 3 /SiN x stacks, very low charge densities can be obtained [7,29,31], although this strongly depends on the SiO 2 thickness and process conditions [7,29].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“Zero-charge” SiO2/Al2O3 stacks for the simultaneous passivation of n+ and p+ doped silicon surfaces by atomic layer deposition

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et al. 2015

Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

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“…Surface passivation with pure HfO 2 usually does not reach the performance of Al 2 O 3 [12,21]. However, an 1 nm thick HfO 2 interface layer underneath Al 2 O 3 is known to have little impact on the measured lifetime in high injection range [13]. At a negative bias voltage of -1 V the different passivation stacks became visible (Fig.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For sample #B (p-type Si) an additional 1 nm HfO 2 interface layer was introduced between silicon and Al 2 O 3 . This thin HfO 2 layer is known to reduce the fixed charge density of the passivation layer [13]. During the HfO 2 deposition the substrate was masked by a quarter of a 150 mm wafer.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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2D Mapping of Chemical and Field Effect Passivation of Al2O3 on Silicon Substrates

et al. 2015

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Fixed charge and interface defect densities are the critical material parameters for silicon surface passivation. These parameters are measured with high spatial resolution on 150 mm wafers using a novel method called 'BiasMDP'. In this method the effective carrier lifetime is determined by means of microwave detected photoconductivity while a bias voltage is applied to an electrode on top of the passivation layer. The measured carrier lifetime strongly reduces when the external bias voltage compensates the electric field of the fixed charges. Based on this minimum lifetime fixed charge and interface defect densities are calculated. The sensitivity of BiasMDP is demonstrated on a silicon wafer with Al 2 O 3 passivation, which is processed with thickness gradient. A continuous shift of flat band voltage is measured across the wafer. This shift linearly correlates with oxide thickness as predicted by theory. Furthermore, an Al 2 O 3 passivation stack with local HfO 2 interface layer is characterized. The 2D map of fixed charge density shows a variation between 0.5 x 10 12 cm -2 and 4.0 x 10 12 cm -2 of negative polarity. This inhomogeneity is attributed to the local presence or not presence of the HfO 2 interface layer. Finally, a wafer with local surface damage and inhomogeneous carrier lifetime distribution is measured with BiasMDP. The measurement shows that the inhomogeneity is caused by degradation of chemical passivation. BiasMDP is shown to be a powerful method for detecting inhomogeneities of passivation layers. BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer review by the scientific conference committee of SiliconPV 2015 under responsibility of PSE AG 92 Paul M. Jordan et al. / Energy Procedia 77 ( 2015 ) 91 -98

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Symmetrical Al2O3-based passivation layers for p- and n-type silicon

Cited by 45 publications

References 16 publications

Simulation and Fabrication of HfO2 Thin Films Passivating Si from a Numerical Computer and Remote Plasma ALD

Simulation and Fabrication of HfO2 Thin Films Passivating Si from a Numerical Computer and Remote Plasma ALD

“Zero-charge” SiO2/Al2O3 stacks for the simultaneous passivation of n+ and p+ doped silicon surfaces by atomic layer deposition

2D Mapping of Chemical and Field Effect Passivation of Al2O3 on Silicon Substrates

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