Spray-deposited high-efficiency SnO2/<i>n</i>-Si solar cells

Abstract

SnO2/n-Si solar cells (area=1 and 4 cm2) having AM1 efficiencies of 12.3% on single-crystal silicon and 10.1% on polycrystalline silicon have been fabricated. The tin oxide is deposited by spraying a SnCl4 mixture onto heated silicon substrates. Using this low-cost process, large-area (20-cm2) single-crystal cells having 10% efficiency have also been made. The smaller diffusion length and higher resistivity in the polycrystalline silicon (Wacker) accounts for its lower efficiency as compared to single-crystal cells.