Determination of the mobility gap of intrinsic c-Si:H in p-i-n solar cells

Pieters, B. E.; van Swaaij, R.A.C.M.M.; Zeman, M.; Stiebig, H.

doi:10.1063/1.3078044

Journal Article

Determination of the mobility gap of intrinsic c-Si:H in p-i-n solar cells

Pieters, B. E.FZJ* ; Stiebig, H. ; Zeman, M. ; van Swaaij, R. A. C. M. M.

2009
American Institute of Physics Melville, NY

Journal of applied physics 105, 044502 (2009) [10.1063/1.3078044]

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Please use a persistent id in citations: http://hdl.handle.net/2128/17247 doi:10.1063/1.3078044

Abstract: Microcrystalline silicon (mu c-Si:H) is a promising material for application in multijunction thin-film solar cells. A detailed analysis of the optoelectronic properties is impeded by its complex microstructural properties. In this work we will focus on determining the mobility gap of mu c-Si:H material. Commonly a value of 1.1 eV is found, similar to the bandgap of crystalline silicon. However, in other studies mobility gap values have been reported to be in the range of 1.48-1.59 eV, depending on crystalline volume fraction. Indeed, for the accurate modeling of mu c-Si:H solar cells, it is paramount that key parameters such as the mobility gap are accurately determined. A method is presented to determine the mobility gap of the intrinsic layer in a p-i-n device from the voltage-dependent dark current activation energy. We thus determined a value of 1.19 eV for the mobility gap of the intrinsic layer of an mu c-Si:H p-i-n device. We analyze the obtained results in detail through numerical simulations of the mu c-Si:H p-i-n device. The applicability of the method for other than the investigated devices is discussed with the aid of numerical simulations.

Keyword(s): J ; elemental semiconductors (auto) ; energy gap (auto) ; hydrogen (auto) ; silicon (auto) ; solar cells (auto)