Light-Induced Degradation in Solar Cells with Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon-Sulfur Active Layers

Abstract

AbstractWe have made a series of a-SiSx:H based solar cells, with a pin structure, in a multichamber plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) system. The sulfur concentration ranges from zero to 5 x 1018 cm-3 as measured by secondary ion mass spectroscopy. The initial conversion efficiencies of cells in this series with sulfur concentrations ≤ 1018 cm-3 are approximately 7%. The time constants for degradation increase with increasing sulfur concentration, but not fast enough to be of practical importance in photovoltaic devices.