A constructive combination of antireflection and intermediate-reflector layers for a-Si∕μc-Si thin film solar cells

Abstract

This device design approach combines sputter-deposited TiO2 antireflection layer (ARL) and plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition-grown SiOx intermediate-reflector layer (IRL) in superstrate a-Si∕μc-Si thin film solar cell. The loss of current from either the component cells with individual application of ARL and IRL has been recovered with their combined application. With both ARL and IRL in a-Si∕μc-Si cell, (a) the top cell current and (b) the sum of top and bottom cell current increases. An initial efficiency of 11.8% [Voc=1.42V, FF=0.74, Jsc (top)=11.5mAcm−2, Jsc (bottom)=11.2mAcm−2] is achieved from such an a-Si∕μc-Si cell with a total Si layer thickness less than 2μm.