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Properties of ITO–AZO bilayer thin films prepared by magnetron sputtering for applications in thin-film silicon solar cells

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Abstract

In this paper we study the electro-optical behavior and the application of indium–tin oxide (ITO) and aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) bilayer thin films for silicon solar cells. ITO–AZO bilayer thin films were deposited on glass substrates using radio-frequency magnetron sputtering. The experimental results show that a decrease in the electrical resistivity of the ITO–AZO bilayer thin films has been achieved without significant degradation of optical properties. In the best case the resistivity of the bilayer films reached a minimum of 5.075×10−4 Ω cm when the thickness of the AZO buffer layer was 12 nm. The ITO–AZO bilayer films were applied as the front electrodes of amorphous silicon solar cells and the short-circuit current density of the solar cells was considerably increased.

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded by the Technological Cooperation Project between the Academy of Sciences and Henan Province (No. 092106000033).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Henan Key Laboratory of Photovoltaic Materials, School of Physics and Electronics, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, P.R. China

    Chao Wang & Yanli Mao

  2. Key Laboratory of Semiconductor Materials, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100083, P.R. China

    Xiangbo Zeng

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  1. Chao Wang
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  2. Yanli Mao
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  3. Xiangbo Zeng
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Correspondence to Chao Wang.

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Wang, C., Mao, Y. & Zeng, X. Properties of ITO–AZO bilayer thin films prepared by magnetron sputtering for applications in thin-film silicon solar cells. Appl. Phys. A 110, 41–45 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-012-7431-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-012-7431-3

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