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Sputtered AZO Thin Films for TCO and Back Reflector Applications in Improving the Efficiency of Thin Film a-Si:H Solar Cells

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Abstract

We report the properties of Al doped ZnO (AZO) thin films on glass substrates and its effect on the efficiency of amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) solar cells as the back reflector. Oriented AZO thin films were grown using DC magnetron sputtering by varying Ar gas flow rates. The influence of Ar flow rate on the structural, electrical and optical properties of AZO thin films suitable for transparent conducting oxide (TCO) and back reflector applications was investigated. The (a-Si:H) solar cells, with and without AZO back reflector, were fabricated on FTO coated glass substrates using the PECVD technique. The solar cells were tested using a Sun simulator under AM 1.5 condition. Enhancement in current density from 12.46 to 14.24 mA/cm2 with the AZO back reflector was observed, thereby increasing the efficiency of the solar cell from 6.38 to 7.82 %, respectively.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. SSN Research Center, SSN College of Engineering, Kalavakkam, Tamilnadu, 603110, India

    Arokiyadoss Rayerfrancis, P. Balaji Bhargav, Nafis Ahmed, Sekhar Bhattacharya & Balaji Chandra

  2. Department of Physics, SSN College of Engineering, Kalavakkam, Tamilnadu, 603110, India

    Arokiyadoss Rayerfrancis, P. Balaji Bhargav & Nafis Ahmed

  3. Surface and Nanoscience Division, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam, 603102, India

    Sandip Dhara

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  1. Arokiyadoss Rayerfrancis
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  2. P. Balaji Bhargav
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  4. Sekhar Bhattacharya
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  5. Balaji Chandra
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Correspondence to P. Balaji Bhargav.

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Rayerfrancis, A., Bhargav, P.B., Ahmed, N. et al. Sputtered AZO Thin Films for TCO and Back Reflector Applications in Improving the Efficiency of Thin Film a-Si:H Solar Cells. Silicon 9, 31–38 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12633-015-9350-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12633-015-9350-3

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