Fabrication of thin film silicon solar cells on plastic substrate by very high frequency PECVD
Publication date
2010
Authors
Rath, Jatindra
Brinza, M.
Liu, Y.
Borreman, A.
Schropp, Ruud
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Advisors
Supervisors
Document Type
Article
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Abstract
Thepaperdescribesthewaytotransferprocesstechnologyofstate-of-the-arthighefficiencythinfilm siliconsolarcellsfabricationoncheapplastic(suchasPETorPEN)substrates,bytwocompletelydifferent approaches:(i)bytransferprocess(Helianthosconcept)ofthinfilmsiliconcellsdepositedathigh substratetemperature, Ts ( 200 1C) and(ii)directdepositionontemperaturesensitivesubstratesatlow Ts ( 100 1C).Adaptationoftheprocessparametersandcellprocessingtotherequirementoftheflexible/ plasticsubstrateisthemostcrucialstep.In-situdiagnosisoftheplasmahasbeendonetounderstandthe effectofinter-electrodedistance,substratetemperatureandhydrogendilutiononthegasphase conditions.Whereas,forthetransferprocess,theinter-electrodedistanceisacriticaldepositioncondition thatneedstobeadaptedfortheflexiblesubstrates,thedirectdepositiononplasticsubstrateshasan addedissueoflossinmaterialqualityandthedepositionrateduetodepositionsatlow Ts. Ourstudies indicatethationenergyiscrucialforobtainingcompactfilmsatlowtemperatureandhighhydrogen dilutionhelpstocompensatethelossofionenergyatlowsubstratetemperatures.Efficienciesof 5.9% and6.2%havebeenobtainedforn–i–ptypea-SicellsonPETandPENsubstrates,respectively,usingdirect deposition.Usinganadaptedinter-electrodedistance,ana-Si/nc-Sitandemcellonplastic(polyester) substratewithanefficiencyof8.1%hasbeenmadebyHelianthoscelltransferprocess.
Keywords
VHF PECVD, Thin film, Amorphous silicon, Nanocrystalline silicon, Solar cell, Plastic
Citation
Rath, J K, Brinza, M, Liu, Y, Borreman, A & Schropp, R E I 2010, 'Fabrication of thin film silicon solar cells on plastic substrate by very high frequency PECVD', Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, vol. 94, no. 9, pp. 1534-1541. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2010.01.013