Wide GAP a-SiC:H Alloys for Novel Photovoltaic-Electrochromic Window Coatings

1995 ◽  
Vol 377 ◽  
Author(s):  
John N. Bullock ◽  
Yueqin Xu ◽  
David Benson ◽  
Howard M. Branz
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Optical Transmittance ◽  
Open Circuit ◽  
Electrochromic Device ◽  
Smart Windows ◽  
Silicon Carbon ◽  
Wide Gap ◽  
Self Powered ◽  
Silicon Based

ABSTRACTSelf-powered “smart” windows utilize an electro-optic transmittance modulator based on electrochromic (EC) thin films that exhibit reversible and controlled changes in optical properties with an applied voltage between 0.7 and 2.0 V. Existing window designs require an external electrical connection, which may be economically unfeasible. This problem is solved by the tandem photovoltaic-electrochromic device, in which a wide-gap amorphous silicon-based alloy photovoltaic device is deposited together with an electrochromic optical transmittance modulator in a monolithic device on a single substrate. In this paper, we discuss our proposed monolithic photovoltaic-electrochromic device.We also present studies of transparent, wide-gap (1.8 to 2.2 eV) amorphous silicon-carbon thin films and p-i-n devices designed for use in the photovoltaic-electrochromic device. These photovoltaic cells can operate at low current (<1 mA/cm2) because a total injected charge of only 60 μC/cm2 will darken the EC layer to a visible transmission of 5%, but they need a high open-circuit voltage (>1.0 V) and high transparency (≈70%). We present our progress toward these design targetxxss.

Use of Transparent Conductive Oxide Materials with Low Indices of Refraction in Amorphous Silicon-Based Solar Cell Technology

2005 ◽  
Vol 862 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott J. Jones ◽  
Joachim Doehler ◽  
Tongyu Liu ◽  
David Tsu ◽  
Jeff Steele ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cell ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Transparent Conductive Oxide ◽  
Open Circuit ◽  
Long Term Stability ◽  
Back Reflectors ◽  
Stability Issues ◽  
Silicon Based ◽  
Solar Cell Technology

AbstractNew types of transparent conductive oxides with low indices of refraction have been developed for use in optical stacks for the amorphous silicon (a-Si) solar cell and other thin film applications. The alloys are ZnO based with Si and MgF added to reduce the index of the materials through the creation of SiO2 or MgF2, with n=1.3-1.4, or the addition of voids in the materials. Alloys with 12-14% Si or Mg have indices of refraction at λ=800nm between 1.6 and 1.7. These materials are presently being used in optical stacks to enhance light scattering by Al/multi-layer/ZnO back reflectors in a-Si based solar cells to increase light absorption in the semiconductor layers and increase open circuit currents and boost device efficiencies. In contrast to Ag/ZnO back reflectors which have long term stability issues due to electromigration of Ag, these Al based back reflectors should be stable and usable in manufactured PV products. In this manuscript, structural properties for the materials will be reported as well as the performance of solar cell devices made using these new types of materials.

Manipulation of optical and electrical properties of ZnO thin films via embedded nano structure

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (19) ◽  
pp. 1840039 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dongyan Zhang ◽  
Ri-Ichi Murakami
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Optical Transmittance ◽  
Wide Bandgap ◽  
Nano Particles ◽  
Zno Thin Films ◽  
Nano Structure ◽  
Smart Windows ◽  
Conducting Oxides ◽  
Band Engineering ◽  
Metal Nano Particles

The semiconductor ZnO has gained great interest in the past decades because of its wide bandgap and large exciton binding energy. Especially, the doping and embedded metal nano-particles methods could improve the conductivity of ZnO thin films, which made it possible to fabricate transparent conducting oxides based on ZnO. In the present study, Al-doped ZnO thin layer was employed to manipulate the electrical and optical properties. The band engineering in ZnO makes it possible to manipulate the absorption, emission, reflection spectral of ZnO via the embedded quantum well layer. The ZnO thin films with excellent performance in electrical conductivity and optical transmittance are promising to be applied in the devices including the lager flat screen, touch panel, portable digital device and smart windows. In the present study, we summarized the recent progress in ZnO with embedded metal nanoparticles and application in TCOs.

Amorphous Silicon-Carbon Alloys for Solar Cells

1993 ◽  
Vol 297 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuan-Min Li
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Light Exposure ◽  
Open Circuit ◽  
Hydrogen Dilution ◽  
Silicon Carbon ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous ◽  
Substrate Temperatures ◽  
Open Circuit Voltages

Recent efforts to optimize undoped, glow-discharge hydrogenated amorphous silicon-carbon alloys (a-SiC:H) with 1.9-2.0 eV bandgaps for solar cell applications are reviewed. Hydrogen dilution coupled with relatively low substrate temperatures (below 200 °C) have led to great improvements in the optical and phototransport properties of a-SiC:H films. The issue of alternative carbon feedstocks other than methane (CH4) will be explored. The improved a-SiC:H alloys have resulted in solar cells with high open circuit voltages (V∞ > 1.0 volt) and high fill factors (> 0.7). Further, the a-SiC:H solar cell instability upon prolonged light exposure has been much reduced. Correlation will be made between the properties of bulk undoped a-SiC:H films and the performance of p-i-nsingle junction solar cells using corresponding a-SiC:H thin i-layers.

Growth and Characterization of Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon using Liquid Organic Sources

1991 ◽  
Vol 219 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Gaughan ◽  
S. Hershgold ◽  
J. M. Viner ◽  
P. C. Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Wide Band ◽  
Discharge Process ◽  
Wide Band Gap ◽  
Silicon Carbon ◽  
Rf Glow Discharge ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous

ABSTRACTThe uses of liquid sources such as tertiarybutylphosphine (TBP) for n-type doping in hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) and ditertiarybutylsilane (DTBS) and n-butylsilane (NBS) for hydrogenated amorphous silicon-carbon alloys (a-SiC:H) are described. A rf glow discharge process is employed to produce the doped a-Si:H and a-SiC:H thin films. Tertiarybutylphosphine (TBP) may ultimately be preferred over phosphine because TBP is less toxic, less pyrophoric and safer to implement. The gross doping properties of a-Si:H doped with TBP are the same as those obtained with phosphine, but there are some differences. N-butylsilane (NBS) and DTBS have been used to produce wide band gap (E04 3 ≈ eV) a-SiC:H.

Hydrogenated amorphous silicon–germanium thin films with a narrow band gap for silicon-based solar cells

2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. S50-S53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao-Chun Wang ◽  
Chueh-Yang Liu ◽  
Shui-Yang Lien ◽  
Ko-Wei Weng ◽  
Jung-Jie Huang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Band Gap ◽  
Silicon Germanium ◽  
Narrow Band ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Silicon Based ◽  
Amorphous Silicon Germanium ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous

TEM Imaging of Amorphous Silicon Oxide - Silicon Nitride - Silicon Oxide Dielectric Films

2001 ◽  
Vol 7 (S2) ◽  
pp. 1228-1229
Author(s):  
Lew Rabenberg ◽  
J. P. Zhou ◽  
Kil-Soo Ko ◽  
Rita Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Silicon Nitride ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Atomic Number ◽  
Silicon Oxide ◽  
Gate Dielectrics ◽  
Dielectric Films ◽  
Amorphous Silicon Oxide ◽  
Nitride Oxide ◽  
Silicon Based

Thin films of amorphous silicon oxide and silicon nitride are routinely used as gate dielectrics in silicon-based microelectronic devices. It is valuable to be able to image them and measure their thicknesses quickly and accurately. This brief note describes conditions that can be used to obtain accurate and reproducible TEM images of oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) thin films.Obtaining adequate contrast differences between oxide and nitride is not trivial because they have the same average atomic number, and both phases are amorphous. As stoichiometric compounds, both SiO2 and Si3N4 would have average atomic numbers equal to 10. For SiO2, (14+2(8))/3=10, and for Si3N4, (3(14)+4(7))/7=10. Thus, the atomic number contrast between these two is weak or nonexistent. Similarly, the amorphous character prevents the use of conventional diffraction contrast techniques.However, the density of Si3N4 (3.2 g/cm3) is considerably greater than the density of SiO2 (2.6 g/cm3), reflecting the higher average coordination of N compared with O.

Plasma Deposition of Wide Gap, Highly Photoconductive a-Si:H Thin Films from Disilane-Helium Mixtures

1984 ◽  
Vol 38 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Rajeswaran ◽  
P. E. Vanier ◽  
R. R. Corderman ◽  
F. J. Kampas
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Electronic Properties ◽  
Plasma Deposition ◽  
Dark Conductivity ◽  
Silicon Films ◽  
Helium Mixtures ◽  
Wide Gap ◽  
Made In

AbstractWide gap (>1.9 eV), photoconductive, intrinsic amorphous silicon films were made in a UHV system from Si2H6 -He mixtures. The hydrogen concentrations, optical gaps and photoconductivities were measured. Unlike films made from SiH4, Si2H6-produced films exhibit excellent electronic properties even at low deposition temperatures. The ratio of AM1 photoconductivity to dark conductivity was as high as 107.

Self-powered smart window controlled by a high open-circuit voltage InGaN/GaN multiple quantum well solar cell

2015 ◽  
Vol 51 (63) ◽  
pp. 12625-12628 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chia-Ching Wu ◽  
Jian-Chiun Liou ◽  
Chien-Chen Diao
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cell ◽  
Quantum Well ◽  
Open Circuit Voltage ◽  
Multiple Quantum Well ◽  
Open Circuit ◽  
Electrochromic Device ◽  
Multiple Quantum ◽  
Smart Window ◽  
Self Powered

A self-powered complementary electrochromic device (CECD) driven by a high open-circuit voltage InGaN/GaN multiple quantum well (MQW) solar cell has been designed.

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