Journal Article

FZJ-2015-03495

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Effect of Substrate Morphology Slope Distributions on Light Scattering, nc-Si:H Film Growth, and Solar Cell Performance

Kim, D. Y. (Corresponding Author) ; Santbergen, R. ; Jäger, K. ; Sever, M. ; Krč, J. ; Topič, M. ; Hänni, S. ; Zhang, C.FZJ* ; Heidt, A. ; Meier, M.FZJ* ; van Swaaij, R. A. C. M. M. ; Zeman, M.

2014
Soc. Washington, DC

This record in other databases:  

Please use a persistent id in citations: doi:10.1021/am5054114

Abstract: Thin-film silicon solar cells are often deposited on textured ZnO substrates. The solar-cell performance is strongly correlated to the substrate morphology, as this morphology determines light scattering, defective-region formation, and crystalline growth of hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si:H). Our objective is to gain deeper insight in these correlations using the slope distribution, rms roughness (σrms) and correlation length (lc) of textured substrates. A wide range of surface morphologies was obtained by Ar plasma treatment and wet etching of textured and flat-as-deposited ZnO substrates. The σrms, lc and slope distribution were deduced from AFM scans. Especially, the slope distribution of substrates was represented in an efficient way that light scattering and film growth direction can be more directly estimated at the same time. We observed that besides a high σrms, a high slope angle is beneficial to obtain high haze and scattering of light at larger angles, resulting in higher short-circuit current density of nc-Si:H solar cells. However, a high slope angle can also promote the creation of defective regions in nc-Si:H films grown on the substrate. It is also found that the crystalline fraction of nc-Si:H solar cells has a stronger correlation with the slope distributions than with σrms of substrates. In this study, we successfully correlate all these observations with the solar-cell performance by using the slope distribution of substrates.

---

Contributing Institute(s):

1. Photovoltaik (IEK-5)

Research Program(s):

1. 111 - Thin Film Photovoltaics (POF2-111) (POF2-111)
2. HITEC - Helmholtz Interdisciplinary Doctoral Training in Energy and Climate Research (HITEC) (HITEC-20170406) (HITEC-20170406)

Appears in the scientific report 2015

---

Database coverage:
; Current Contents - Engineering, Computing and Technology ; Current Contents - Physical, Chemical and Earth Sciences ; IF >= 5 ; JCR ; Science Citation Index ; Science Citation Index Expanded ; Thomson Reuters Master Journal List ; Web of Science Core Collection

---