We show that the open circuit voltage (Voc) in hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) solar cells can be described by an analytical energy-barrier-dependent equation, considering thermionic emission as the physical mechanism determining the recombination current. For this purpose, the current-voltage characteristics of two device structures, i.e., a-Si:H(n)/a-Si:H(i)/a-Si:H(p)/AZO p-i-n solar cells with different p-doping concentrations and a-Si:H(n)/a-Si:H(i)/AZO Schottky structures with different intrinsic layer thicknesses, were analyzed in dark and under illumination, respectively. The calculated barrier in the p-i-n devices is consistent with the difference between the work function of the p-layer and the conduction band edge of the i-layer at the interface in thermal equilibrium.
References
1.
J. M.
Pearce
, N.
Podraza
, R. W.
Collins
, M. M.
Al-Jassim
, K. M.
Jones
, J.
Deng
, and C. R.
Wronski
, J. Appl. Phys.
101
, 114301
(2007
).2.
M.
Hack
and M. S.
Shur
, J. Appl. Phys.
55
, 4413
(1984
).3.
M.
Isomura
, M.
Kondo
, and A.
Matsuda
, Jpn. J. Appl. Phys.
39
, 3339
(2000
).4.
G.
Bugnon
, G.
Parascandolo
, S.
Hänni
, M.
Stuckelberger
, M.
Charrière
, D.
Matthieu
, F.
Sculati-Meillaud
, and C.
Ballif
, Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells
120
, 143
(2014
).5.
O. M.
Ghahfarokhi
, K.
von Maydell
, and C.
Agert
, Appl. Phys. Lett.
104
, 113901
(2014
).6.
F-J.
Haug
, R.
Biron
, G.
Kratzer
, F.
Leresche
, J.
Besuchet
, C.
Ballif
, M.
Dissel
, S.
Kretschmer
, W.
Soppe
, P.
Lippens
, and K.
Leitner
, Prog. Photovoltaic: Res. Appl.
20
, 727
(2012
).7.
E. A.
Schiff
, Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells
78
, 567
(2003
).8.
L.
Jiang
, J. H.
Lyou
, S.
Rane
, E. A.
Schiff
, Q.
Wang
, and Q.
Yuan
, MRS Proc
. 609
, A1831
–A18311
(2000
).9.
J.
Mandelkorn
and J. H.
Lamneck
, Jr., J. Appl. Phys.
44
, 4785
(1973
).10.
M. A.
Green
, Silicon Solar Cells: Advanced Principles and Practice, Centre for Photovoltaics Devices and Systems
(N.S.W
, Kensington
, 1995
).11.
N.
Jensen
, U.
Rau
, R. M.
Hausner
, S.
Uppal
, L.
Oberbeck
, R. B.
Bergmann
, and J. H.
Werner
, J. Appl. Phys.
87
, 2639
(2000
).12.
K.
Taretto
, Prog. Photovoltaic: Res. Appl.
22
, 870
(2014
).13.
A.
Luque
and S.
Hegedus
, Handbook of Photovoltaic Science and Engineering
, 2nd ed. (Wiley
, Hoboken, NJ
, 2011
).14.
S. M.
Sze
, Physics of Semiconductor Devices
, 3rd ed. (John Wiley-Interscience
, New York
, 1979
).15.
A. G.
Milnes
and D. L.
Feucht
, Heterojunctions and Metal-Semiconductor Junctions
(Academic Press
, New York
, 1972
).16.
E. H.
Rhoderick
and R. H.
Williams
, Metal-Semiconductor Contacts
, 2nd ed. (Oxford University Press
, New York
, 1988
).17.
A.
McEvoy
, T.
Markvart
, and L.
Castañer
, Practical Handbook of Photovoltaics Fundamental and Applications
, 2nd ed. (Elsevier
, USA
, 2011
).18.
J. C.
Nolasco
, G.
Ramos-Ortiz
, J. L.
Maldonado
, O.
Barbosa-Garcia
, B.
Ecker
, and E.
von Hauff
, Appl. Phys. Lett.
104
, 043308
(2014
).19.
J.
Liang
, E. A.
Schiff
, S.
Guha
, B.
Yan
, and J.
Yang
, Appl. Phys. Lett.
88
, 063512
(2006
).20.
J.
Widmer
, M.
Tietze
, K.
Leo
, and M.
Riede
, Adv. Funct. Mater.
23
, 5814
–5821
(2013
).21.
M.
Schmidt
, L.
Korte
, A.
Laades
, R.
Stangl
, C.
Schubert
, H.
Angermann
, E.
Conrad
, and K. v.
Maydell
, Thin Solid Films
515
, 7475
(2007
).22.
See supplementary material at http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4959939 for the default simulation parameters used in AFORS-HET for a-Si:H pin solar cells.
23.
N.
Jensen
, R. M.
Hausner
, R. B.
Bergmann
, J. H.
Werner
, and U.
Rau
, Prog. Photovoltaic: Res. Appl.
10
, 1
–13
(2002
).24.
J. M.
Pearce
, R. J.
Koval
, A. S.
Ferlauto
, R. W.
Collins
, C. R.
Wronski
, J.
Yang
, and S.
Guha
, Appl. Phys. Lett.
77
, 3093
(2000
).25.
R.
Biron
, C.
Pahud
, F.
Haug
, and C.
Ballif
, J. Non-Cryst. Solids
358
, 1958
(2012
).26.
A. N.
Corpus-Mendoza
, M. M.
de Souza
, and F.
Hamelmann
, J. Appl. Phys.
114
, 184505
(2013
).27.
M.
Bivour
, C.
Reichel
, M.
Hermle
, and S. W.
Glunz
, Sol. Energy Mater. Solar Cells
106
, 11
(2012
).28.
F. A.
Rubinelli
, J. K.
Arch
, and S. J.
Fonash
, J. Appl. Phys.
72
, 1621
(1992
).29.
R. T.
Tung
, Appl. Phys. Rev.
1
, 011304
(2014
).30.
T.
Matsui
, A.
Bidiville
, K.
Maejima
, H.
Sai
, T.
Koida
, T.
Suezaki
, M.
Matsumoto
, K.
Saito
, I.
Yoshida
, and M.
Kondo
, Appl. Phys. Lett.
106
, 053901
(2015
).© 2016 Author(s).
2016
Author(s)
You do not currently have access to this content.
