Publication

Gallium Nitride as Transparent Electron-Selective Contact in Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells

Christophe Ballif, Mathieu Gérard Boccard, Angela Nicole Fioretti
2019
Conference Papers

Abstract

Carrier-selective, passivating contacts have allowed silicon heterojunction (SHJ) cells to reach recordbreaking efficiencies particularly in all-back-contacted designs. However, two-side-contacted SHJ cell efficiency has been limited due in part to parasitic absorption losses up to 3 mA/cm2 in the aSi:H layers. More transparent materials could reduce this current loss while minimizing process complexity. Gallium nitride (GaN), with a bandgap of 3.4 eV and an advantageous band alignment with silicon, could be applied as a transparent electron-selective layer. Here, we report on SHJ solar cells utilizing PECVD GaN layers grown at 200°C as electron-selective contact. First devices exhibited open-circuit voltages of ~575 mV due to poor passivation, and low conductivity of the as-yet undoped GaN layers induced high series resistance (Rs). However, this Voc suggests the potential for electron selectivity if appropriate passivation and doping strategies are implemented.

Official source

https://infoscience.epfl.ch/entities/publication/fefec5ad-a1d4-4f2f-9553-c5aba382a91e

About this result

This page is automatically generated and may contain information that is not correct, complete, up-to-date, or relevant to your search query. The same applies to every other page on this website. Please make sure to verify the information with EPFL's official sources.

Graph Chat

Chat with Graph Search

Ask any question about EPFL courses, lectures, exercises, research, news, etc. or try the example questions below.

DISCLAIMER: The Graph Chatbot is not programmed to provide explicit or categorical answers to your questions. Rather, it transforms your questions into API requests that are distributed across the various IT services officially administered by EPFL. Its purpose is solely to collect and recommend relevant references to content that you can explore to help you answer your questions.

Christophe Ballif, Mathieu Gérard Boccard, Angela Nicole Fioretti
2019
Conference Papers

Abstract

Official source

https://infoscience.epfl.ch/entities/publication/fefec5ad-a1d4-4f2f-9553-c5aba382a91e

About this result

Related concepts (32)

Organic solar cell

An organic solar cell (OSC) or plastic solar cell is a type of photovoltaic that uses organic electronics, a branch of electronics that deals with conductive organic polymers or small organic molecules, for light absorption and charge transport to produce electricity from sunlight by the photovoltaic effect. Most organic photovoltaic cells are polymer solar cells. The molecules used in organic solar cells are solution-processable at high throughput and are cheap, resulting in low production costs to fabricate a large volume.

Transmission electron microscopy

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is a microscopy technique in which a beam of electrons is transmitted through a specimen to form an image. The specimen is most often an ultrathin section less than 100 nm thick or a suspension on a grid. An image is formed from the interaction of the electrons with the sample as the beam is transmitted through the specimen. The image is then magnified and focused onto an imaging device, such as a fluorescent screen, a layer of photographic film, or a sensor such as a scintillator attached to a charge-coupled device.

Crystalline silicon

Crystalline silicon or (c-Si) Is the crystalline forms of silicon, either polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si, consisting of small crystals), or monocrystalline silicon (mono-Si, a continuous crystal). Crystalline silicon is the dominant semiconducting material used in photovoltaic technology for the production of solar cells. These cells are assembled into solar panels as part of a photovoltaic system to generate solar power from sunlight. In electronics, crystalline silicon is typically the monocrystalline form of silicon, and is used for producing microchips.

Related publications (32)

Gallium Nitride as Transparent Electron-Selective Contact in Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells

Chat with Graph Search

Microstructural and electrical characterization of high temperature passivating contacts for silicon solar cells

A comprehensive physical model for the sensitivity of silicon heterojunction photovoltaic modules to water ingress

Shortwave Infrared-Sensitive, Narrowband Organic Upconversion Devices with a Gain