Variation of the defect density in a-Si:H and μc-Si:H based solar cells with 2 MeV electron bombardment

Astakhov, Oleksandr; Smirnov, Vladimir; Carius, R.; Petrusenko, Yuri; Borysenko, Valeriy; Böttler, W.; Finger, F.

doi:10.1016/j.jnoncrysol.2011.12.091

Cited by 5 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…In our previous work, 9,10 we have shown that 2 MeV electron bombardment combined with stepwise annealing may be used to vary the defect density of the absorber layer in p-side illuminated thin film solar cells over several orders of magnitude in a particular device, which, in the case of lc-Si:H, is not achievable with light-soaking. The here applied high energy electron bombardment at low temperatures leads to a spatially homogeneous increase in the defect density.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Performance of p- and n-side illuminated microcrystalline silicon solar cells following 2 MeV electron bombardment

Smirnov

Astakhov

Carius

et al. 2012

Applied Physics Letters

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The impact of defects on the performance of p- and n-side illuminated microcrystalline silicon solar cells is investigated. The absorber layer spin density NS is controlled over some two orders of magnitude by electron bombardment and subsequent annealing steps. At increased NS (between 3 × 1016 and 1018 cm−3), performance of n-side illuminated cells is much more strongly reduced relative to p-side illuminated cells, particularly with regard to short circuit current density. Quantum efficiency measurements indicate a corresponding strong asymmetry in wavelength-dependence, which has been successfully reproduced by numerical device simulations.

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confidence: 99%

Performance of p- and n-side illuminated microcrystalline silicon solar cells following 2 MeV electron bombardment

Smirnov

Astakhov

Carius

et al. 2012

Applied Physics Letters

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“…Both the solar cells and ESR samples underwent identical 2 MeV electron bombardment with fluence of 9.4 × 10 16 e/cm 2 at approximately 100 K, and subsequent stepwise annealing as described in our previous publications [8][9][10][11]16]. In the following discussion the spin density, N S , measured in the reference samples, is referred to as the defect density in the absorber layer.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The electron bombardment creates defects in every layer of the solar cell stack including glass substrate. Nevertheless, we expect that the photovoltaic performance is predominantly determined by the increase in the defect density of absorber layer rather than other functional layers of a cell [9][10][11].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Defect density increase in a-Si:H may be achieved with prolonged illumination [7], whereas c-Si:H is stable to the light soaking, and thus requires other methods to be modified. In our previous works [8][9][10][11][12] we presented experiments, utilizing 2 MeV electron irradiation and successive annealing, to achieve a defect density in a-Si:H and c-Si:H material and solar cells, which can be varied over several orders of magnitude. In the experiment, the spin density, N S , measured with electron spin resonance (ESR), was taken as a measure of the defect density.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the experiment, the spin density, N S , measured with electron spin resonance (ESR), was taken as a measure of the defect density. Both solar cells and ESR samples are exposed to the same electron bombardmentannealing procedure, which enables us to investigate the recombination-related variations of cell performance [9][10][11][12]. In the present study we use data on both defect density [12] and illumination intensity dependencies obtained on the same set of a-Si:H and c-Si:H solar cells to investigate the relation between the absorber layer defect density and V OC using the simplest theoretical formulation given earlier for analysis.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Dependence of open circuit voltage in a-Si:H and μc-Si:H solar cells on defect density in absorber layer varied by 2 MeV electron bombardment

et al. 2014

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Theoretically predicted values of the open circuit voltage (V OC ) for a-Si:H or c-Si:H based solar cells are substantially higher than the values achieved in of state-of-the-art devices. Fundamentally, open circuit voltage is determined by generation-recombination kinetics, where recombination is often controlled by the defect density in the absorber layer of a solar cell. The latter aspect is the focus of the paper. The relation between the V OC and the bulk recombination in the absorber layer is addressed in experiment by varying the defect density. The absorber layer defect density (spin density, N S , monitored with ESR) in a-Si:H and c-Si:H solar cells was varied over two orders of magnitude using a 2 MeV electron bombardment and successive stepwise annealing. The results of the electron bombardment experiment are analyzed with respect to the illumination intensity dependency of the V OC , measured for the same set of a-Si:H and c-Si:H solar cells. We find that the V OC of a-Si:H solar cells is not limited by defects in the bulk of the absorber layer, even at relatively high defect density up to 3-5 × 10 16 cm −3 and, therefore, other limiting mechanisms have to be identified to improve voltage in these devices. In contrast, c-Si:H solar cells show nearly classical V OC -N S relation. The bulk defect density in c-Si:H absorber layer is thus likely the key limiting factor for V OC in these devices at present status of material quality (N S of 3-7 × 10 15 cm −3 ). Further optimization of c-Si:H in terms of bulk defect density is highly relevant for V OC improvement in solar cells. PACS Nos.: 88.40.jj, 72.20.Jv, 61.80.Fe.Résumé : Les valeurs théoriques prédites pour le voltage en circuit ouvert (V OC ) de cellules solaires basées sur du a-Si : H ou du c-Si : H sont substantiellement plus élevées que celles que l'on obtient dans les dispositifs à la fine pointe. Fondamentalement, le voltage en circuit ouvert est contrôlé par la cinétique de la génération-recombinaison, où la recombinaison est souvent déterminée par la densité de défauts dans la couche absorbante de la cellule solaire. Ce dernier point est le sujet principal de cette publication. Nous étudions la relation entre V OC et la recombinaison en volume dans la couche absorbante en variant la densité de défauts. Par bombardement avec des électrons de 2 MeV, suivi de recuits successifs, nous varions sur deux ordres de grandeur la densité de défauts dans la couche absorbante (densité de spin, N S , vérifié par ESR) dans des cellules solaires de a-Si : H et de c-Si : H. Les résultats du bombardement électronique sont analysés en fonction de la dépendance de V OC sur l'intensité du bombardement, mesuré pour deux ensembles de cellules solaires a-Si : H et c-Si : H. Nous trouvons que V OC dans les cellules a-Si : H n'est pas limité par les défauts en volume de la couche absorbante, même à relativement grande densité jusqu'à 3-5 × 10 16 cm -3 et, par conséquent, d'autres mécanismes limitatifs doivent être identifiés pour améliorer le voltage dans ces dispositi...

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Recent defect passivation drifts and role of additive engineering in perovskite photovoltaics

Hassan

Wang²,

Ahn³

et al. 2022

Nano Energy

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Variation of the defect density in a-Si:H and μc-Si:H based solar cells with 2 MeV electron bombardment

Cited by 5 publications

References 16 publications

Performance of p- and n-side illuminated microcrystalline silicon solar cells following 2 MeV electron bombardment

Performance of p- and n-side illuminated microcrystalline silicon solar cells following 2 MeV electron bombardment

Dependence of open circuit voltage in a-Si:H and μc-Si:H solar cells on defect density in absorber layer varied by 2 MeV electron bombardment

Recent defect passivation drifts and role of additive engineering in perovskite photovoltaics

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