Microcrystalline Silicon for Solar Cells at High Deposition Rates by Hot Wire Cvd

We have explored which deposition parameters in Hot Wire CVD have the largest impact on the quality of microcrystalline silicon (μc-Si) made at deposition rates (Rd) < 10 Å/s for use in thin film solar cells. Among all parameters, the filament temperature (Tfil) appears to be crucial for making device quality films. Using two filaments and a filament-substrate spacing of 3.2 cm, μc-Si films, using seed layers, can be deposited at high Tfil (∼2000°C) with a crystalline volume fraction < 70-80 % at Rd's < 30 Å/s. Although the photoresponse of these layers is high (< 100), they appear not to be suitable for incorporation into solar cells, due to their porous nature. n-i-p cells fabricated on stainless steel with these i-layers suffer from large resistive effects or barriers, most likely due to the oxidation of interconnected pores in the silicon layer. The porosity is evident from FTIR measurements showing a large oxygen concentration at ∼1050 cm-1, and is correlated with the 2100 cm-1 signature of most of the Si-H stretching bonds. Using a Tfil of 1750°C, however, the films are more compact, as seen from the absence of the 2100 cm-1 SiH mode and the disappearance of the FTIR Si-O signal, while the high crystalline volume fraction (< 70-80 %) is maintained. Using this Tfil and a substrate temperature of 400°C, we obtain an efficiency of 4.9 % for cells with a Ag/ZnO back reflector, with an i-layer thickness of only ∼0.7 μm. High values for the quantum efficiency extend to very long wavelengths, with values of 33 % at 800 nm and 15 % at 900 nm, which are unequalled by a-SiGe:H alloys. Further, by varying the substrate temperature to enable deposition near the microcrystalline to amorphous transition (‘edge’) and incorporating variations in H2 dilution during deposition of the bulk, efficiencies of 6.0 % have been obtained. The Rd's of these i-layers are 8-10 Å/s, and are the highest to date obtained with HWCVD for microcrystalline layers used in cells with efficiencies of ∼6 %.