Theory of metal-insulator-semiconductor solar cells

Shewchun, J.; Singh, Ranbir; Green, Martin A.

doi:10.1063/1.323667

Cited by 191 publications

(72 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…However, tunneling is expected to be efficient for intentionally grown very thin oxide layers (< 20Å [23]), and pinhole formation can be ruled out unless the annealing temperature exceeds 900°C. Therefore, in this paper, for ultrathin oxide layers as presented in the previously cited studies (12-15Å [16] and 14Å [15]), we will consider current transport via carrier tunneling through the ultrathin oxide layers.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Numerical Simulation of Carrier-Selective Electron Contacts Featuring Tunnel Oxides

Steinkemper

Feldmann

Bivour

et al. 2015

IEEE J. Photovoltaics

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Recently, n-type Si solar cells featuring tunnel-oxidepassivated contacts have achieved remarkable conversion efficiencies of up to 24.9%. Different approaches concerning the doped Si layer, which can be amorphous, polycrystalline, or partially crystalline, have been presented over the past few years. In this paper, carrier-selective electron contacts featuring tunnel oxides are investigated by means of numerical device simulation. The influence of 1) the Si layer material, 2) the Si layer doping, 3) an additional in-diffusion in the absorber, 4) the surface recombination velocity at the oxide interface, and 5) the oxide thickness and the tunneling mass are investigated by means of an open-circuit voltage analysis, as well as a fill factor (FF) analysis. With the fundamental understanding generated in this paper, we are able to explain the excellent device performance of solar cells with carrier-selective contacts featuring tunnel oxides.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Numerical Simulation of Carrier-Selective Electron Contacts Featuring Tunnel Oxides

Steinkemper

Feldmann

Bivour

et al. 2015

IEEE J. Photovoltaics

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“…The physics of nanomaterial/silicon junction which plays a key role in photovoltaic properties of these hybrid solar cells is currently not well understood in the literature due to a complex dependence of the junction on nanomaterial's properties such as doping, work function, diameter, chirality, and, its binding with silicon, and so on, [9], [16], [18]. The experimental results so far have been explained using classical analytical models for metal-semiconductor (MS) junction, semiconductor-semiconductor (p-n hetero-junction) [19], [20], and metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) junctions [21]- [24].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Computational Study of Hybrid Nanomaterial/Insulator/Silicon Solar Cells

Imran

Butt

2015

IEEE Trans. Electron Devices

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We present a computational study on hybrid nanomaterial-insulator-silicon solar cells where single-walled carbon nanotube or graphene forms the emitter as well as top conducting electrode on n-type crystalline silicon having a thin interfacial tunnel oxide. The effects of nanomaterial doping and tunnel oxide thickness on cell characteristics are modeled. Similar to bulk emitters, cell efficiency could be increased by chemical doping (p-type) of the nanomaterial. Unlike bulk, nanomaterial could get electrostatically doped (n-type) due to its low quantum capacitance, by the surface charge density in silicon. For chemically undoped graphene on lightly (10 16 /cm 3 ) doped silicon, efficiency loss due to the electrostatic doping effect is ∼11%. A moderate p-type chemical doping (0.2 eV shift in Fermi level) of graphene reduces the aforementioned loss to ∼2%. The electrostatic doping effect in carbon nanotube-based cells is relatively small and independent to nanotube's chemical doping. For tunnel oxide thickness ≥2 nm, photogenerated carrier accumulation at silicon/oxide interface considerably enhances the electrostatic doping effect. The effect of tunnel oxide thickness variation on fill factor and open circuit voltage is shown to be qualitatively similar to standard bulk metalinsulator-silicon solar cells. Our model predicts an optimal oxide thickness of ∼1 nm which confirms the experimental reports.Index Terms-Carbon nanotube (CNT), graphene, hybrid solar cell, interfacial oxide barrier, quantum capacitance, workfunction tuning. 0018-9383

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“…11,12 The light absorption mainly occurs in the nanostructure, in lower depth. The use of heterojunctions like Si/a-Si:H, 13 Schottky barrier 14 or metal-insulator-semiconductor 15,16 are favorable. Semiconductor-insulator-semiconductor (SIS) is also a type of heterojunction, which was first developed in the 1970s and achieves theoretically a maximum conversion efficiency of 25%.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Atomic layer deposition precursor step repetition and surface plasma pretreatment influence on semiconductor–insulator–semiconductor heterojunction solar cell

Talkenberg

Illhardt

Radnóczi

et al. 2015

Journal of Vacuum Science &Amp; Technology A: Vacuum, Surfaces, and Films

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Semiconductor–insulator–semiconductor heterojunction solar cells were prepared using atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique. The silicon surface was treated with oxygen and hydrogen plasma in different orders before dielectric layer deposition. A plasma-enhanced ALD process was applied to deposit dielectric Al2O3 on the plasma pretreated n-type Si(100) substrate. Aluminum doped zinc oxide (Al:ZnO or AZO) was deposited by thermal ALD and serves as transparent conductive oxide. Based on transmission electron microscopy studies the presence of thin silicon oxide (SiOx) layer was detected at the Si/Al2O3 interface. The SiOx formation depends on the initial growth behavior of Al2O3 and has significant influence on solar cell parameters. The authors demonstrate that a hydrogen plasma pretreatment and a precursor dose step repetition of a single precursor improve the initial growth behavior of Al2O3 and avoid the SiOx generation. Furthermore, it improves the solar cell performance, which indicates a change of the Si/Al2O3 interface states.

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Theory of metal-insulator-semiconductor solar cells

Cited by 191 publications

References 21 publications

Numerical Simulation of Carrier-Selective Electron Contacts Featuring Tunnel Oxides

Numerical Simulation of Carrier-Selective Electron Contacts Featuring Tunnel Oxides

Computational Study of Hybrid Nanomaterial/Insulator/Silicon Solar Cells

Atomic layer deposition precursor step repetition and surface plasma pretreatment influence on semiconductor–insulator–semiconductor heterojunction solar cell

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