Effects of a Bias Voltage During Hydrogenation on Passivation of the Defects in Polycrystalline Silicon for Solar Cells

Abstract

The short circuit current and conversion efficiency of the poly(multi)-crystalline solar cells are increased by the passivation process using hydrogen plasma. The passivation rate apparently increases at a reverse bias voltage near 0.6V during the hydrogenation process. The effects of the bias voltage on the passivation are large at the substrate temperatures between 200?C and 250?C. The phenomena are likely due to the existence of positively-ionized hydrogen, H⁺. The H⁺ ions can be accelerated from the surface into the bulk by the electric field with the negative bias. The possibility of the H⁺ ions in the bulk silicon has been predicted in the previous reports. The increase of the incorporated hydrogen is confirmed by IR absorption measurements. The enhanced diffusion of hydrogen induced by the reverse bias is supported by the results of spectral response characteristics of the hydrogenated solar cells.