Improvement in the spectral response at long wavelength of a-SiGe:H solar cells by exponential band gap design of the i-layer

2002 ◽  
Vol 299-302 ◽  
pp. 1131-1135 ◽  
Author(s):  
R Jimenez Zambrano ◽  
F.A Rubinelli ◽  
J.K Rath ◽  
R.E.I Schropp
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Band Gap ◽  
Spectral Response ◽  
Long Wavelength

Evaluation of Ar-Diluted Silane PECVD for Thin Film Si:H Based Solar Cells

2004 ◽  
Vol 808 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. Anna Selvan ◽  
Yuan-Min Li ◽  
Liwei Li ◽  
Alan E. Delahoy
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Spectral Response ◽  
Nanocrystalline Silicon ◽  
Thin Layers ◽  
Dilution Method ◽  
Critical Question ◽  
Long Wavelength ◽  
Hydrogen Dilution ◽  
Porous Microstructure ◽  
The Stability

ABSTRACTDilution by Ar of silane plasma has been reported to increase the stability of a-Si:H films. A critical question is whether Ar diluted i-layers offer higher stabilized solar cell efficiencies than the conventional hydrogen dilution method. We have fabricated a-Si:H p-i-n solar cells with RF-PECVD i-layers by Ar dilution of silane. Ar dilution ratio (ADR, Ar/SiH4), RF power,pressure, and i-layer thickness were varied. At low ADR < 20, such solar cells show comparable initial efficiencies and stability as those devices having H2-diluted i-layers of similar thickness. For cells made with ADR > 20, the initial efficiency decreases dramatically with further increase in Ar dilution, and light soaking causes only mild changes in efficiencies. The stabilized efficiencies of cells made with high ADR are inferior to the cells produced with low ADR or cells prepared by H2 dilution. Further, Voc of solar cells made with high ADR (> 50) decreases substantially in ambient, indicating a porous microstructure susceptible to oxidation. While thermal annealing improves the Voc, a full recovery of Voc is made by accelerated light soaking.The combination of high power and high ADR can lead to nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si:H) growth, although nucleation is much more difficult to attain by the Ar dilution method compared to hydrogen dilution. We have succeeded in fabricating p-i-n solar cells with nc-Si:H i-layers prepared by the Ar dilution approach. The double dilution by Ar and hydrogen of silane (Ar+H2+SiH4) can result in nc-Si:H i-layers with enhanced long wavelength spectral response compared to devices incorporating nc-Si:H i-layers grown by H2 dilution only. The nc-Si:H solar cells with Ar+H2 diluted i-layers exhibit no light-induced degradation.Using energetic Ar-rich plasma, in a process much simpler than the traditional nc-Si:H technique, doped a-Si:H thin layers can be prepared to form excellent tunnel junctions for multi-junction solar cells. We demonstrate such a novel, non-contaminating tunnel junction in tandem a-Si/a-Si and a-Si/nc-Si solar cells entirely fabricated in a single-chamber RF-PECVD system.

Fullerene (PCBM) Modulated MEH-PPV Photoactive Material for Plastic Solar Cells

2019 ◽  
Vol 969 ◽  
pp. 439-443
Author(s):  
Ishwar Naik ◽  
Rajashekhar Bhajantri ◽  
B.S. Patil ◽  
Vinayak Bhat
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Band Gap ◽  
Polymer Matrix ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Spectral Response ◽  
Weight Ratio ◽  
Acid Methyl Ester ◽  
Research Problem ◽  
Energy Difference ◽  
Low Efficiency

Abstract.Plastic solar cells are promising devices in looking for low cost and flexible energy storing devices. Low efficiency is the main drawback of these cells in comparison with inorganic solar cells and hence the search for an efficient plastic solar cell has become a globally demanded research problem. In the present work we have used the modified fullerene [6,6]-Phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) as N type modulating probe on P type semiconducting polymer Poly[2-methoxy-5-(2’-ethylhexyloxy)-phenylenevinylene] (MEH-PPV). The donor MEH-PPV polymer matrix is modulated by adding PCBM in the weight ratio 1:3, 1:1 and 3:1 in Chloro-Benzene(CB) as the common solvent and glass-coated samples are prepared by solution cast method. Samples are analyzed by UV-VISIBLE spectroscopy by JASCO UV Vis NIR V 670 spectrometer. The effect of PCBM content on MEH-PPV is to broaden the spectral response of MEH-PPV. In other words the acceptor PCBM has tuned the band gap (energy difference between HOMO & LUMO) of the donor MEH-PPV. Spectral analysis revealed that 1:3 blend of MEH-PPV with PCBM has a wide spectral sensitivity for absorption. The band gap for each blend is determined using Tauc’s plot. Increased Fullerene content has decreased the band gap of the host polymer. We conclude that modified fullerene can effectively modulate the donor polymer matrix and 1:3 MEH-PPV: PCBM can act as a good photoactive material for solar cells. Absorption can be further enhanced by either dye sensitization or by metal oxide nanoparticle doping without increasing the thickness of the film. We have doped the optimized 1:3 blend with 20%, 40% & 60% of TiO2 nanoparticles wherein the absorption is enhanced with doping level. The increased absorption is attributed to the photocatalytic activity of the nanaoparticles embedded in the polymer matrix

scholarly journals Optimization ofμc-Si1−xGex:H Single-Junction Solar Cells with Enhanced Spectral Response and Improved Film Quality

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Yen-Tang Huang ◽  
Pei-Ling Chen ◽  
Po-Wei Chen ◽  
Hung-Jung Hsu ◽  
Cheng-Hang Hsu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Spectral Response ◽  
Rf Power ◽  
Single Junction ◽  
Long Wavelength ◽  
Tandem Cell ◽  
Cell Efficiency ◽  
Photo Conductivity ◽  
Gas Ratio ◽  
Incorporation Efficiency

Effects of RF power on optical, electrical, and structural properties ofμc-Si1−xGex:H films was reported. Raman and FTIR spectra fromμc-Si1−xGex:H films reflected the variation in microstructure and bonding configuration. Unlike increasing the germane concentration for Ge incorporation, low RF power enhanced Ge incorporation efficiency inμc-Si1−xGex:H alloy. By decreasing RF power from 100 to 50 W at a fixed reactant gas ratio, the optical bandgap ofμc-Si1−xGex:H was reduced owing to the increase in Ge content from 11.2 to 23.8 at.%, while Ge-related defects and amorphous phase were increased. Consequently, photo conductivity of 1.62 × 10−5 S/cm was obtained for theμc-Si1−xGex:H film deposited at 60 W. By applying 0.9 μm thickμc-Si1−xGex:H absorber withXCof 48% and [Ge] of 16.4 at.% in the single-junction cell, efficiency of 6.18% was obtained. The long-wavelength response ofμc-Si1−xGex:H cell was significantly enhanced compared with theμc-Si:H cell. In the case of tandem cells, 0.24 μm a-Si:H/0.9 μmμc-Si1−xGex:H tandem cell exhibited a comparable spectral response as 0.24 μm a-Si:H/1.4 μmμc-Si:H tandem cell and achieved an efficiency of 9.44%.

Investigation of Textured Back Reflectors for Microcrystalline Silicon Based Solar Cells

1999 ◽  
Vol 557 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. Kluth ◽  
O. Vetterl ◽  
R. Carius ◽  
F. Finger ◽  
S. Wieder ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Spectral Response ◽  
Short Circuit ◽  
Chemical Vapour ◽  
Root Mean Square Roughness ◽  
Microcrystalline Silicon ◽  
Feature Size ◽  
Long Wavelength ◽  
Back Reflectors

AbstractMicrocrystalline silicon (μc-Si:H) solar cells require an effective light trapping in the near infrared (NIR) to enhance the long wavelength spectral response. For this purpose we investigated back reflectors based on texture-etched ZnO/Ag stacks prepared on glass substrates by magnetron sputtering. With decreasing sputter pressure the resulting surface texture of the glass/Ag/ZnO substrates after etching exhibits a larger feature size and root mean square roughness. The increase in feature size corresponds to an increase of diffuse reflectivity. Applied in microcrystalline solar cells prepared by VHF plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD), the reflectors showing the largest feature size (prepared at the lowest possible sputter pressure) yielded the highest long wavelength spectral response. The μc-Si n-i-p cells prepared on the latter back reflector exhibited efficiencies of 6.9 % (short circuit current density jsc= 18.8 mA/cm2) and 7.5 % (jsc=25 mA/cm2) for an i-layer thickness of 1 μm and 3.5 μm, respectively.

Preparation of Narrow-gap a-Si:H Solar Cells by VHF-PECVD Technique

2010 ◽  
Vol 1245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Do Yun Kim ◽  
Ihsanul Afdi Yunaz ◽  
Shunsuke Kasashima ◽  
Shinsuke Miyajima ◽  
Makoto Konagai
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Spectral Response ◽  
Short Circuit ◽  
Short Circuit Current ◽  
Short Circuit Current Density ◽  
Open Circuit ◽  
Hydrogen Flow ◽  
Long Wavelength

AbstractOptical, electrical and structural properties of silicon films depending on hydrogen flow rate (RH), substrate temperature (TS), and deposition pressure (PD) were investigated. By decreasing RH and increasing TS and PD, the optical band gap (Eopt) of silicon thin films drastically declined from 1.8 to 1.63 eV without a big deterioration in electrical properties. We employed all the investigated Si thin films for p-i-n structured solar cells as absorbers with i-layer thickness of 300 nm. From the measurement of solar cell performances, it was clearly observed that spectral response in long wavelength was enhanced as Eopt of absorber layers decreased. Using the solar cell whose Eopt of i-layer was 1.65 eV, the highest QE at long wavelength with the short circuit current density (Jsc) of 16.34 mA/cm2 was achieved, and open circuit voltage (Voc), fill factor (FF), and conversion efficiency (η) were 0.66 V, 0.57, and 6.13%, respectively.

Properties of Cu(In,Ga)Se2:Fe Thin Films For Solar Cells

2005 ◽  
Vol 865 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keiichiro Sakurai ◽  
Hajime Shibata ◽  
Satoshi Nakamura ◽  
Minoru Yonemura ◽  
Shinpei Kuwamori ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Grain Size ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Spectral Response ◽  
Cell Performance ◽  
Fe Doping ◽  
Long Wavelength ◽  
Polycrystalline Thin Films ◽  
Fe Content ◽  
Absorbance Spectra

AbstractWe have fabricated CIGS:Fe polycrystalline thin films using a standard three-stage method, and investigated the effects of Fe doping on cell performances. The Ga / (In+Ga) ratio was varied between 0.3 ˜ 1.0 (= CGS), and the Fe concentration was varied between 0.0 ˜ 1.2 mol%. The films were characterized by various means, including the cell performance. Increment of the grain size with higher Fe content was observed. Redshift with higher Fe content was observed in the absorbance spectra. The spectral response of the fabricated solar cells deteriorated with higher Fe content, from the long wavelength side.

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