Preparation of High-Quality poly-Si and μc-Si Films by the SPC Method

Abstract

AbstractWe have achieved the highest total area conversion efficiency for an integrated type 10cm × 10cm a-Si solar cell at 10.2%. This value is the world record for a 10cm × 10cm a-Si solar cell. For further improvement of conversion efficiency in a-Si solar cells, it is necessary to develop materials with high-photosensitivity in the long wavelength region and materials with high conductivity. We have developed a Solid Phase Crystallization (SPC) method of growing a Si crystal at temperatures as low as 600°C. Using this method, thin-film polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) with higP-photosensitivity in the long wavelength region and Hall mobility of 70cm2/V sec was obtained and quantum efficiency in the range of 800,∼ lO00nm was achieved up to 80% in the n-type poly-Si with grain size of about 2μm. We also succeeded in preparing a device-quality p-type microcrystalline silicon (μc-Si) using the SPC method at 620°C for 3 hours from the conventional plasma-CVD p-type amorphous silicon (a-5i) withoul using any post-doping process. Obtained properties of μd=2 × 103 (.cm) and a high optical transmittance in the 2.0 ∼ 3.0 eV range are better as a window material than the conventional p-type μc-Si:H. Therefore, it was concluded that the SPC method is better as a new technique to prepare high-quality solar cell materials.