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Reducing Interface Traps with High Density Hydrogen Treatment to Increase Passivated Emitter Rear Contact Cell
Chih-Cheng Yang1, Po-Hsun Chen2, Ting-Chang Chang3
1Department of Materials and Optoelectronic Science, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, 80424, Taiwan.
Nanoscale Research Letters
|December 14, 2019
Summary
High-density hydrogen treatment effectively reduces interface traps in passivated emitter rear contact (PERC) solar cells. This method enhances cell efficiency by improving key performance metrics without altering the fabrication process.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Semiconductor Physics
- Renewable Energy
Background:
- Passivated emitter rear contact (PERC) solar cells are crucial for renewable energy.
- Interface traps degrade solar cell performance and efficiency.
- Existing methods for trap reduction can be complex or alter fabrication.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce a novel high-density hydrogen (HDH) treatment for PERC devices.
- To reduce interface traps and enhance the overall efficiency of PERC solar cells.
- To investigate the impact of HDH treatment on Si-H bonding and interface properties.
Main Methods:
- High-density hydrogen (HDH) treatment at ~70 atm and ~200 °C.
- Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to analyze Si-H bonding.
- Secondary-ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) to assess SiN/Si interface traps.
- Electrical measurements (conductance-voltage) to extract interface trap density (Dit).
- Analysis of performance parameters (Jsc, Rs, F.F.) under simulated sunlight (AM1.5).
- External quantum efficiency (EQE) measurements.
Main Results:
- HDH treatment confirmed enhanced Si-H bonding via FTIR.
- SIMS indicated a reduction in SiN/Si interface traps.
- Electrical measurements showed a decrease in interface trap density (Dit).
- Key performance metrics (Jsc, Rs, F.F.) improved, leading to increased cell efficiency.
- EQE measurements verified enhanced conversion efficiency across various wavelengths.
Conclusions:
- HDH treatment is an effective, non-invasive method to reduce interface traps in PERC devices.
- The treatment significantly boosts solar cell efficiency by optimizing interface properties.
- A model was developed to explain the observed improvements post-HDH treatment.
