Thermal Degradation of a-Si:H Solar Cells by Dopant Diffusion

Abstract

In glass/TCO/ p (a-SiC:H)- i - n /Cr type hydrogenated amorphous silicon solar cells fabricated by a rf glow-discharge decomposition method, it was observed that the photocurrent in the short-wave length region mainly decreased after a thermal treatment of the sample. In terms of a simple model in which the dopant diffusion makes a dead layer near the p / i interface, the phenomenon of the photocurrent decrease is discussed. The dopant diffusion coefficients and the lifetimes of the solar cells were estimated.