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Tuning of passivation efficiency of defects in emitter region of polysilicon solar cells using hydrogen plasma

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Abstract

Using thin polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) films reduces the cost of photovoltaic cells. Although hydrogenation treatments of poly-Si films are necessary to obtain high-energy conversion, the role of the n+ emitter on defects passivation via hydrogen diffusion in n+pp+ polysilicon solar cells has not yet been understood thoroughly. In this connection, the influence of hydrogenation temperature and doping level of the n+ emitter on open-circuit voltage (Voc) was analyzed. It was found that Voc greatly improved by a factor of 2.9 and reached up to 430 mV at a microwave plasma power and hydrogenation temperature of 650 W and 400 °C, respectively, for 60 min. Moreover, slow cooling is more advantageous for high Voc than rapid cooling. However, etching of the emitter region was observed, and this degradation is similar for both cooling methods. Furthermore, annealing of the hydrogenated cells in inert gas for 30 min revealed a slight increase in Voc, which reached 40–80 mV, depending on the annealing temperature. These results were explained by hydrogen atoms diffusing into the bulk of the material from subsurface defects generated during the plasma hydrogenation process. Also, our findings show that Voc values are much higher for a less doped phosphorus emitter than for a heavily doped one. The origin of these behaviors is clarified in detail.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. A. Mira University of Bejaia, Road of Targa Ouzemour, 06000, Bejaia, Algeria

    S. Mahdid & M. Samah

  2. Laboratory of Materials and Sustainable Development, Faculty of Sciences and Applied Sciences, Mohand Oulhadj University, P.O. Box 10000, Bouira, Algeria

    S. Mahdid & D. Madi

  3. Photovoltaic Metrology, CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi, 110012, India

    Prathap Pathi

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  1. S. Mahdid
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Mahdid, S., Madi, D., Samah, M. et al. Tuning of passivation efficiency of defects in emitter region of polysilicon solar cells using hydrogen plasma. Indian J Phys 98, 1313–1321 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12648-023-02911-9

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