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Improved photovoltaic properties of Si quantum dots/SiC multilayers-based heterojunction solar cells by reducing tunneling barrier thickness

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Abstract

Si quantum dots (Si QDs)/SiC multilayers were fabricated by annealing hydrogenated amorphous Si/SiC stacked structures prepared in plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) system. The microstructures were examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Raman spectroscopy, and results demonstrate the formation of Si QDs. Moreover, p-i-n devices containing Si QDs/SiC multilayers were fabricated, and their photovoltaic property was investigated. It was found that these devices show the good spectral response in a wide wavelength range (400–1200 nm). And it was also observed that by reducing the thickness of SiC layer from 4 to 2 nm, the external quantum efficiency was obviously enhanced and the short circuit current density (J sc) was increased from 17.5 to 28.3 mA/cm2, indicating the collection efficiency of photo-generated carriers was improved due to the reduced SiC barriers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Electronic Science and Engineering and National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China

    Yun-Qing Cao, Xin Xu, Shu-Xin Li, Wei Li, Jun Xu & Kunji Chen

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  1. Yun-Qing Cao
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  2. Xin Xu
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  3. Shu-Xin Li
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  4. Wei Li
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  5. Jun Xu
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  6. Kunji Chen
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Correspondence to Jun Xu.

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Cao, YQ., Xu, X., Li, SX. et al. Improved photovoltaic properties of Si quantum dots/SiC multilayers-based heterojunction solar cells by reducing tunneling barrier thickness. Front. Optoelectron. 6, 228–233 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12200-013-0324-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12200-013-0324-z

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