Recombination Lifetime in Microcrystalline Silicon Absorbers of Highly Efficient Thin-Film Solar Cells

Abstract

AbstractAbsorber layers of microcrystalline silicon thin-film solar cells deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition are characterized regarding the recombination lifetime. The characterization is based on a comparison of experimentally determined solar cell characteristics with results from numerical device simulations. Evaluation of the dark reverse saturation current indicates a strong dependence of τ on the hydrogen dilution during the deposition. Close to the transition region to amorphous growth where the highest solar cell efficiencies are observed τ is maximum within the crystalline deposition regime and equals 30 ns.