High-quality nanocrystalline cubic silicon carbide emitter for crystalline silicon heterojunction solar cells

Abstract

We developed a highly transparent n-type hydrogenated nanocrystalline cubic silicon carbide (nc-3C–SiC:H) emitter for crystalline silicon (c-Si) heterojunction solar cells. A low emitter saturation current density (J0e) of 1.4×101 fA/cm2 was obtained under optimal deposition conditions. A c-Si heterojunction solar cell fabricated on a p-type c-Si wafer without texturing showed an active area efficiency of 17.9% [open-circuit voltage (Voc)=0.668 V, short-circuit current density (Jsc)=36.7 mA/cm2, fill factor=0.731]. The high Jsc value is associated with excellent quantum efficiencies at short wavelengths (<500 nm).