Improved amorphous/crystalline silicon interface passivation by hydrogen plasma treatment

A. Descoeudres; L. Barraud; Stefaan De Wolf; B. Strahm; D. Lachenal; C. Guérin; Z. C. Holman; F. Zicarelli; B. Demaurex; J. Seif; J. Holovsky; C. Ballif

doi:10.1063/1.3641899

Improved amorphous/crystalline silicon interface passivation by hydrogen plasma treatment

A. Descoeudres^*, L. Barraud, Stefaan De Wolf, B. Strahm, D. Lachenal, C. Guérin, Z. C. Holman, F. Zicarelli, B. Demaurex, J. Seif, J. Holovsky, C. Ballif

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

251 Scopus citations

Abstract

Silicon heterojunction solar cells have high open-circuit voltages thanks to excellent passivation of the wafer surfaces by thin intrinsic amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) layers deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. We show a dramatic improvement in passivation when H₂ plasma treatments are used during film deposition. Although the bulk of the a-Si:H layers is slightly more disordered after H₂ treatment, the hydrogenation of the wafer/film interface is nevertheless improved with as-deposited layers. Employing H₂ treatments, 4 cm² heterojunction solar cells were produced with industry-compatible processes, yielding open-circuit voltages up to 725 mV and aperture area efficiencies up to 21.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	123506
Journal	Applied Physics Letters
Volume	99
Issue number	12
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3641899
State	Published - Sep 19 2011
Externally published	Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous)

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10.1063/1.3641899

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@article{d62f3e27f56a4361b2d4dcc999d93770,

title = "Improved amorphous/crystalline silicon interface passivation by hydrogen plasma treatment",

abstract = "Silicon heterojunction solar cells have high open-circuit voltages thanks to excellent passivation of the wafer surfaces by thin intrinsic amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) layers deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. We show a dramatic improvement in passivation when H2 plasma treatments are used during film deposition. Although the bulk of the a-Si:H layers is slightly more disordered after H2 treatment, the hydrogenation of the wafer/film interface is nevertheless improved with as-deposited layers. Employing H2 treatments, 4 cm2 heterojunction solar cells were produced with industry-compatible processes, yielding open-circuit voltages up to 725 mV and aperture area efficiencies up to 21.",

author = "A. Descoeudres and L. Barraud and {De Wolf}, Stefaan and B. Strahm and D. Lachenal and C. Gu{\'e}rin and Holman, {Z. C.} and F. Zicarelli and B. Demaurex and J. Seif and J. Holovsky and C. Ballif",

note = "Funding Information: The authors acknowledge Y. Andrault for wafer preparation and P. B{\^o}le Rothen for support. This work was supported by the Axpo Naturstrom Fonds and by the European Commission (FP7 project 20plμs, Grant No. 256695).",

year = "2011",

month = sep,

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doi = "10.1063/1.3641899",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "99",

journal = "Applied Physics Letters",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Improved amorphous/crystalline silicon interface passivation by hydrogen plasma treatment

AU - Descoeudres, A.

AU - Barraud, L.

AU - De Wolf, Stefaan

AU - Strahm, B.

AU - Lachenal, D.

AU - Guérin, C.

AU - Holman, Z. C.

AU - Zicarelli, F.

AU - Demaurex, B.

AU - Seif, J.

AU - Holovsky, J.

AU - Ballif, C.

N1 - Funding Information: The authors acknowledge Y. Andrault for wafer preparation and P. Bôle Rothen for support. This work was supported by the Axpo Naturstrom Fonds and by the European Commission (FP7 project 20plμs, Grant No. 256695).

PY - 2011/9/19

Y1 - 2011/9/19

N2 - Silicon heterojunction solar cells have high open-circuit voltages thanks to excellent passivation of the wafer surfaces by thin intrinsic amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) layers deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. We show a dramatic improvement in passivation when H2 plasma treatments are used during film deposition. Although the bulk of the a-Si:H layers is slightly more disordered after H2 treatment, the hydrogenation of the wafer/film interface is nevertheless improved with as-deposited layers. Employing H2 treatments, 4 cm2 heterojunction solar cells were produced with industry-compatible processes, yielding open-circuit voltages up to 725 mV and aperture area efficiencies up to 21.

AB - Silicon heterojunction solar cells have high open-circuit voltages thanks to excellent passivation of the wafer surfaces by thin intrinsic amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) layers deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. We show a dramatic improvement in passivation when H2 plasma treatments are used during film deposition. Although the bulk of the a-Si:H layers is slightly more disordered after H2 treatment, the hydrogenation of the wafer/film interface is nevertheless improved with as-deposited layers. Employing H2 treatments, 4 cm2 heterojunction solar cells were produced with industry-compatible processes, yielding open-circuit voltages up to 725 mV and aperture area efficiencies up to 21.

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U2 - 10.1063/1.3641899

DO - 10.1063/1.3641899

M3 - Article

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VL - 99

JO - Applied Physics Letters

JF - Applied Physics Letters

IS - 12

M1 - 123506

ER -

Improved amorphous/crystalline silicon interface passivation by hydrogen plasma treatment

Abstract

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