Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Contact Formation on a-Si:H/c-Si Heterostructure Solar Cells

  • Chapter
Book cover Physics and Technology of Amorphous-Crystalline Heterostructure Silicon Solar Cells

Part of the book series: Engineering Materials ((ENG.MAT.,volume 0))

Abstract

In this chapter a description of the contact formation in a-Si:H/c-Si heterojunction solar cell is detailed. Firstly the doping of amorphous films is reported together with the possibility to enhance the amorphous film conductivity by using Chromium Silicide formation on top of the doped films. Then a finite difference numerical model is used to describe the a-Si:H/c-Si heterojunction solar cell in which both contacts are made by amorphous films. In particular to evaluate the effect of the bandgap mismatch between amorphous and crystalline silicon at the base contact a detailed investigation is presented comparing experimental current voltage characteristics of heterojunction contacts with the results of a simulation based on numerical model. Subsequently, details about formation and properties of a transparent conductive oxide and a screen printing procedure to form metallic grids are presented as a common way to form the heterojunction solar cell electrodes. Finally three examples of heterojunction solar cells are proposed using different approaches to form the contacts. In particular a double side heterojunction cell fabricated on multicrystalline silicon is presented, a laser fired local contact for the rear side of the cell is shown and finally an interdigitated back contact is described. All the investigations are based on our experience on heterostructure solar cells developed in the past years.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Sakata, H., Tsunomura, Y., Inoue, H., Taira, S., Baba, T., Kanno, H., Kinoshita, T., Taguchi, M., Maruyama, E.: R&D Progress of Next-Generation Very Thin HITtm Solar Cells. In: Proc. of 25th World Conference and EPVSEC, Valencia, Spain, p. 1102 (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Tsunomura, Y., Yoshimine, Y., Taguchi, M., et al.: Twenty-two percent efficiency HIT solar cell. Sol. En. Mat. And Sol. Cell 93(6-7), 670–673 (2009)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Taguchi, M., Terakawa, A., Maruyama, E.: Obtaining a higher Voc in HIT cells. Prog. Photovolt.: Res. Appl. 13(6), 481–488 (2005)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Taguchi, M., Kawamoto, K., Tsuge, S.: HIT (TM) cells - High-efficiency crystalline Si cells with novel structure. Prog. Photovolt. Res. Appl. 8(5), 503–513 (2000)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Tanaka, M., Taguchi, M., Matsuyama, T.: Development of a new a-Si c-Si heterojunction solar cells ACJ-HIT (Artificially Constructed Junction-Heterojunction with Intrinsic Thin layer). J. J. of Appl. Phys. 31(11), 3518–3522 (1992)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Olibet, S., Monachon, C., Hessler-Wyser, A., Vallat-Sauvain, E., De Wolf, S., Fesquet, L., Damon-Lacoste, J., Ballif, C.: Textured Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells With Over 700 mV Open-Circuit Voltage Studied by Transmission Electron Microscopy. In: Proc. of the 23rd EU PV Conference, Valencia, Spain, p. 1140 (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  7. Korte, L., Conrad, E., Angermann, H., Stangl, R., Schmidt, M.: Overview on a-Si:H/c-Si heterojunction solar cells - physics and technology. In: 22nd EPVSEC, Milan, p. 859 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Rizzoli, R., Centurioni, E., Plá, J., Summonte, C., Migliori, A., Desalvo, A., Zignani, F.: Open circuit voltage in homojunction and heterojunction silicon solar cells grown by VHF-PECVD. J. Non-Cryst. Solids 299-302, 1203 (2002)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Van Cleef, M.W.M., Rubinelli, F.A., Rizzoli, R., Pinghini, R., Schropp, R.E.I., van der Weg, W.F.: Amorphous silicon carbide/crystalline silicon heterojunction solar cells: A comprehensive study of the photocarrier collection. J. of Appl. Phys. 37(7), 3926–3932 (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  10. Damon-Lacoste, J., Cabarrocas, P.R.I., Chatterjee, P., et al.: About the efficiency limits of heterojunction solar cells. J. of Non-Cryst. Solids 352(9-20), 1928 (2006)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Tucci, M., de Cesare, G.: 17% efficiency heterostructure solar cell based on p-type crystalline silicon. J. of Non-Cryst. Solids 338-340, 663 (2004)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Conrad, E., Korte, L., Maydel, K., Angermann, H., Schubert, C., Stangl, R., Schmidt, M.: Development and Optimization of a-Si:H/c-Si Heterojunction Solar Cells Completely Processed at Low Temperatures. In: 21st EPVSEC, Dresden (D), p. 784 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Angermann, H., Conrad, E., Korte, L., Rappich, J., Schulze, T.F., Schmidt, M.: Passivation of textured substrates for a-Si:H/c-Si hetero-junction solar cells: Effect of wet-chemical smoothing and intrinsic a-Si:H interlayer. Mat. Sci. Eng. B 159-60, SI 219–SI 223 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Wang, T.H., Page, M.R., Iwaniczko, E., Wang, Q., Xu, Y., Yan, Y., Roybal, L., Levi, D., Bauer, R., Yelundur, V., Rohatgi, A., Branz, H.M.: 17.5% p-Type Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells with HWCVD a-Si:H as the Emitter and Back Contact. In: DOE Solar Energy Technologies Program Review Meeting, Denver, Colorado (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Tucci, M., Serenelli, L., Salza, E., De Iuliis, S., Geerligs, L.J., Caputo, D., Ceccarelli, M., de Cesare, G.: Back contacted a-Si:H/c-Si heterostructure solar cells. Journal of Non-Cryst. Solids 354, 2386 (2008)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Caputo, D., Forghieri, U., Palma, F.: Low-temperature admittance measurement in thin film amorphous silicon structures. J. Appl. Phys. 82, 733 (1997)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Stutzmann, M., Biegelsen, D.K., Street, R.A.: Detailed investigation of doping in hydrogenated amorphous-silicon and germanium. Phys. Rev. B 35, 5666 (1987)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Goldie, D.M., Spear, W.E., Liu, E.Z.: Electron and hole transport in compensated amorphous silicon. Philos. Mag. B 62, 509 (1990)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Tucci, M.: Optimization of n-doping in n-type a-Si:H / p-type textured c-Si heterojunction for photovoltaic applications. Sol. En. Mat. and Sol. Cel. 57, 249 (1999)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Caputo, D., de Cesare, G., Palma, F., Tucci, M.: Phosphorus and boron compensation in hydrogenated amorphous silicon films. Solid State Phenomena 1, 61 (2001)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Labrune, M., Roca i Cabarrocas, P., Chouffot, R., Brezard-Oudot, A., Kleider, J.-P., Ribeyron, P.J., Vandeneynde, A., Brúggemann, R.: Polymorphous/crystalline silicon heterojunction solar cells: optimization on monocrystalline silicon. In: 23rd European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference, Valencia, Spain, vol. 1696 (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  22. Jackson, W.B., Amer, N.M.: Direct measurement of gap-state absorption in hydrogenated amorphous-silicon by photothermal deflection spectroscopy. Phys. Rev. B 25, 5559 (1982)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Caputo, D., de Cesare, G., Ceccarelli, M., Nascetti, A., Tucci, M., Meda, L., Losurdo, M., Bruno, G.: Characterization of chromium silicide thin layer formed on amorphous silicon films. J. of Non-Cryst. Solids 354, 2171 (2008)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Caputo, D., de Cesare, G., Tucci, M.: Built-in Enhancement in a-Si:H Solar Cell by Chromium Silicide Layer. IEEE El. Dev. Lett. 31(7), 689 (2010)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Tucci, M., Serenelli, L., De Iuliis, S., Caputo, D., Nascetti, A., de Cesare, G.: Amorphous/crystalline silicon heterostructure solar cell based on multi-crystalline silicon. In: Proc. 21st EUPVSEC, Dresden, Germany, p. 902 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  26. Borchert, D., Rinio, M.: Interaction between process technology and material quality during the processing of multicrystalline silicon solar cells. J. Mat. Sci.: Mat. El. 20-1, 487 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Angermann, H., Korte, L., Rappich, J., Conrad, E., Sieber, I., Schmidt, M., Hübener, K., Hauschild, J.: Optimisation of electronic interface properties of a-Si: H/c-Si hetero-junction solar cells by wet-chemical surface pre-treatment. Thin Solid Films 516, 6775 (2008)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Street, R.A.: Hydrogenated amorphous silicon. Solid State Science Series. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (1991)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  29. Taguchi, M., Terakawa, A., Maruyama, E., et al.: Obtaining a higher V-oc in HIT cells. Prog. Photovolt. Res. Appl. 13(6), 481 (2005)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Maydell, K., Conrad, E., Schmidt, M.: Efficient silicon heterojunction solar cells based on p- and n-type substrates processed at temperatures < 220 degrees C. Prog. Photovolt.: Res. Appl. 14, 289 (2006)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Centurioni, E., Iencinella, D.: Role of front contact work function on amorphous silicon/crystalline silicon heterojunction solar cell performance. IEEE El. Dev. Lett. 24-3 (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  32. Rubinelli, F.A., Arch, J.K., Fonash, S.J.: Effect of contact barrier heights on P-I-N detector and solar cell performance. J. Appl. Phys. 72(4), 15, 1621–1630 (1992)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Hosberg, C., Bowden, S.: PV-CDROM, http://pvcdrom.pveducation.org/

  34. Hilali, Mohamed, M.: PhD thesis, Georgia Institute of Technology, 59 (2005), http://hdl.handle.net/1853/7284

  35. DuPont: http://www2.dupont.com/Photovoltaics/en_US/news_events/article20090325.html

  36. Ferro: LF33-series pastes: http://www.ferro.com/non-cms/ems/Solar_2009/interconnect/LF33-700.pdf,LF33-701.pdf,LF33-750.pdf

  37. Meier, D.L., Schroder, D.K.: Contact Resistance – its measurement and relative importance to power loss in a solar cell. IEEE Trans. Electron Devices 31, 647 (1984)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. http://www.bo.imm.cnr.it/~centurio/optical.html

  39. Centurioni, E.: Generalized matrix method for calculation of internal light energy flux in mixed coherent and incoherent multilayers. Appl. Opt. 44, 7532 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Tucci, M., Talgorn, E., Serenelli, L., Salza, E., Izzi, M., Mangiapane, P.: Laser Fired Back Contact for silicon solar cells. Thin Solid Film 516, 6767 (2008)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Kreinin, L., Bordin, N., Broder, J., Eisemberg, N., Tucci, M., Talgorn, E., De Iuliis, S., Serenelli, L., Izzi, M., Salza, E., Pirozzi, L.: Comparison of two BSF technologies suitable for high efficiency multi-crystalline solar cells. In: Proc. of 21st EUPVSEC, Dresden, Germany, p. 855 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  42. Tucci, M., Serenelli, L., Salza, E., Pirozzi, L., De Cesare, G., Caputo, D., Ceccarelli, M.: Bragg reflector and laser fired back contact in a-Si:H / c-Si heterostructure solar cell. Mat. Sci. and Eng. B 159, 48 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. Brendle, W., Nguyen, V., Brenner, K., Rostan, P.J., Grohe, A., Schneiderlochener, E., Preu, R., Rau, U., Palfinger, G., Werner, J.H.: Low temperature back contact for high efficiency silicon solar cells. In: Proc. of 20th EUPVSEC, Barcellona Spain, vol. 745 (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  44. Munoz, D., Voz, C., Blanque, S., et al.: Development of laser-fired contacts for amorphous silicon layers obtained by Hot-Wire CVD. Mat. Sci. Eng. B 159-60, SI 23 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  45. Schneiderlöchner, E., Emanuel, G., Grupp, G., Lautenschlager, H., Leimenstoll, A., Glunz, S.W., Preu, R., Willeke, G.: Silicon solar cells with screen printed-front contact and dielectrically passivated, laser-fired rear electrode. In: 19th EUPVSEC, Paris, France, p. 447 (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  46. Tucci, M., Serenelli, L.: Metastability of SiNx / a-Si:H crystalline silicon surface passivation for PV application. Thin Solid Films 516, 6939 (2008)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Tucci, M., Serenelli, L., De Iuliis, S., Izzi, M.: Characterization of SiNx / a-Si:H crystalline silicon surface passivation under UV light exposure. Thin Solid Films 515, 7625 (2007)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. http://www.hetsi.eu/

  49. Danel, A., Hickel, P.E., Souche, F., Salvetrat, T., Letiec, Y., Nolan, T., Ribeyron, P.J.: Control of Texturized Silicon Substrates Surface Passivation for a-Si:H/c-Si Heterojunction Solar Cells. In: 25th EUPVSEC, Valencia, Spain, pp. 1951–1953 (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  50. Muñoz, D., Ozanne, A.S., Harrisson, S., Danel, A., Souche, F., Denis, C., Favier, A., Nguyen, N., Hickel, P.E., Mur, P., Kang, M.S., Kim, K.M., Janin, R., Pesenti, C., Blin, D., Nolan, T., Kashkoush, I., Ribeyron, P.J.: Toward high efficiency on full wafer a-Si:H/c-Si heterjunction solar cells: 19.6% on 148cm 2. In: Proc. of the 35th PVSC, Hawaï (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  51. Swanson, R.M.: Approaching the 29% limit efficiency of silicon solar cells. In: Proc. of the 31st IEEE PVSEC, Lake Buena Vista, p. 889 (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  52. Mulligan, W.P., Carandang, M.A., Dawson, M., De Ceuster, D.M., Stone, C.N., Swanson, R.M.: Reducing silicon consumption by leveraging cell efficiency. In: Proc. of 21st European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference, p. 1301 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  53. Tucci, M., Serenelli, L., Martufi, P., Salza, E., De Iuliis, S., Geerligs, L.J., de Cesare, G., Caputo, D., Ceccarelli, M.: Back enhanced heterostructure with interdigitated contact – BEHIND - solar cell. In: Proc. of IEEE COMMAD, p. 242 (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  54. Macdonald, D., Rougieux, F., Cuevas, A., Lim, B., Schmidt, J., Di Sabatino, M., Geerligs, L.J.: Light-induced boron-oxygen defect generation in compensated p-type Czochralski silicon. J. Appl. Phys. 105(9), 093704 (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  55. Diouf, D., Kleider, J.P., Desrues, T., Ribeyron, P.-J.: Interdigitated Back Contact a-Si:H/c-Si Heterojunction Solar Cells Modelling: Limiting Parameters Influence on Device Efficiency. In: 23rd EUPVSEC, Valencia, Spain, p. 1949 (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  56. Tucci, M., De Iuliis, S., Serenelli, L., Izzi, M., Salza, E., De Luca, V., Velardi, F., Sanseverino, N., de Cesare, G., Caputo, D.: Behind 2.0: The Back Enhanced Heterostructure with Interdigitated Contact Solar Cell Evolution. In: 25th EUPVSEC, Valencia, Spain, p. 2089 (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  57. Stangl, R., Bivour, M., Conrad, E., Didschuns, I., Korte, L., Lips, K., Schmidt, M.: A novel high efficiency buried grid rear contact amorphous/crystalline silicon heterojunction solar cell concept. In: Proc. of the 22nd EUPVSEC, Milan Italy, p. 870 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  58. Lu, M.J., Das, U., Bowden, S., Hegedus, S., Birkmire, R.: Optimization of interdigitated back contact silicon heterojunction solar cells by two-dimensional numerical simulation. In: 34th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialist Conference, vol. 1-3, p. 1475 (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  59. Hertanto, A., Liu, H., Yeghikyan, D., Rayaprol, B.G., Kherani, N.P., Zukotynski, S.: 34th Back Amorphous Crystalline silicon Heterojunction (BACH) photovoltaic device. In: IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC), p. 1767 (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  60. Tucci, M., Serenelli, L., De Iuliis, S., Salza, E., Pirozzi, L.: Dry NF3/O2 plasma texturing of multicrystalline silicon. In: Proc. of 21st EUPVSEC, Dresden Germany, p. 1250 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  61. Desrues, T., Ribeyron, P.-J., Vandeneynde, A., Ozanne, A.-S., Souche, F., Veschetti, Y., Bettinelli, A., Roca i Cabarrocas, P., Labrune, M., Diouf, D., Kleider, J.-P., Lemiti, M.: Progress in Contacting a-Si:H/c-Si Heterojunction Solar Cells and its Application to Interdigitaded Back Contact Structure. In: 25th EUPVSEC, Valencia, Spain, p. 1673 (2010)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. ENEA - Research Center Casaccia, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123, Rome, Italy

    Mario Tucci, Luca Serenelli, Simona De Iuliis & Massimo Izzi

  2. Department of Electronic Engineering, Rome University “Sapienza”, Via Eudossiana 18, 00139, Italy

    Giampiero de Cesare & Domenico Caputo

Authors
  1. Mario Tucci
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Luca Serenelli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Simona De Iuliis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Massimo Izzi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Giampiero de Cesare
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Domenico Caputo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Copernicus Institute Science Technology and Society, Utrecht University, Budapestlaan 6, 3584 CD, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Wilfried G. J. H. M. van Sark

  2. Inst. Silizium-Photovoltaik, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie, Kekuléstraße 5, 12489, Berlin, Germany

    Lars Korte

  3. ENEA - Agenzia Nazionale per le Nuove Tecnologie, l’Energia e lo Sviluppo Economico Sostenibile, Unità Tecnologie Portici, Localitá Granatello P. le E. Fermi, Portici, 80055, Napoli, Italy

    Francesco Roca

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Tucci, M., Serenelli, L., De Iuliis, S., Izzi, M., de Cesare, G., Caputo, D. (2012). Contact Formation on a-Si:H/c-Si Heterostructure Solar Cells. In: van Sark, W.G.J.H.M., Korte, L., Roca, F. (eds) Physics and Technology of Amorphous-Crystalline Heterostructure Silicon Solar Cells. Engineering Materials, vol 0. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-22275-7_10

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation