Crystalline Silicon

The exciting world of crystalline silicon is the source of the spectacular advancement of discrete electronic devices and solar cells. The exploitation of ever changing properties of crystalline silicon with dimensional transformation may indicate more innovative silicon based technologies in near future. For example, the discovery of nanocrystalline silicon has largely overcome the obstacles of using silicon as optoelectronic material. The further research and development is necessary to find out the treasures hidden within this material. The book presents different forms of silicon material, their preparation and properties. The modern techniques to study the surface and interface defect states, dislocations, and so on, in different crystalline forms have been highlighted in this book. This book presents basic and applied aspects of different crystalline forms of silicon in wide range of information from materials to devices.

This book is composed of 6 papers. The first paper reports a novel technique for the selective emitter formation by controlling the surface morphology of Si wafers. Selective emitter (SE) technology has attracted renewed attention in the Si solar cell industry to achieve an improved conversion efficiency of passivated-emitter rear-contact (PERC) cells. In the second paper, the temperature dependence of the parameters was compared through the PERC of the industrial-scale solar cells. As a result of their analysis, PERC cells showed different temperature dependence for the fill factor loss as temperatures rose. The third paper reports the effects of carrier selective front contact layer and defect state of hydrogenated amorphous silicon passivation layer/n-type crystalline silicon interface. The results demonstrated the effects of band offset determined by band bending at the interface of the passivation layer and carrier selective front contact layer. In addition, the nc-SiOx: H CSFC layer not only reduces parasitic absorption loss but also has a tunneling effect and field-effect passivation. The fourth paper reports excimer laser annealing of hydrogenated amorphous silicon film for TOPCon solar cell application. This paper analyzes the crystallization of a-Si:H via excimer laser annealing (ELA) and compared this process with conventional thermal annealing. The fifth paper reports the contact mechanism between Ag–Al and Si and the change in contact resistance (Rc) by varying the firing profile. Rc was measured by varying the belt speed and peak temperature of the fast-firing furnace. The sixth paper reports a silicon tandem heterojunction solar cell based on a ZnO/Cu2O subcell and a c-Si bottom subcell using electro-optical numerical modeling. The buffer layer affinity and mobility together with a low conduction band offset for the heterojunction are discussed, as well as spectral properties of the device model.

This volume contains written versions of the papers presented at the Second Inter national Conference on Amorphous and Crystalline Silicon Carbide and Related Materials (ICACSC 1988), which was held at Santa Clara University on Decem ber 15 and 16, 1988. The conference followed the First ICACSC held at Howard University, Washington DC, in December 1987 and continued to provide an in ternational forum for discussion and exchange of ideas and results covering the current status of research on SiC and related materials. ICACSC 1988 attracted 105 participants from five countries. The substantial increase in the number of papers compared with the previous year is an indication of the growing interest in this field. Of the 45 papers presented at the conference, 36 refereed manuscripts are included in this volume, while the remaining 9 appear as abstracts. The six invited papers provide detailed reviews of recent results on amorphous and crystalline silicon carbide materials and devices, as well as diamond thin films. The volume is divided into six parts, each covering an important theme of the conference.

This book focuses on crystalline silicon solar cell science and technology. It is written from the perspective of an experimentalist with extensive hands-on experience in modeling, fabrication, and characterization. A practical approach to solar cell fabrication is presented in terms of its three components: materials, electrical, and optical. The materials section describes wafer processing methods including saw damage removal, texturing, diffusion, and surface passivation. The electrical section focuses on formation of ohmic contacts on n and p-doped surfaces. The optical section illustrates light interaction with textured silicon surfaces in terms of geometrical, diffractive and physical optics, transmission, and surface photovoltage (SPV) spectroscopy. A final chapter analyzes performance of solar cells, fabricated with a wide range of process parameters. A brief economic analysis on the merits of crystalline silicon-based photovoltaic technology as a cottage industry is also included./div This professional reference will be an important resource for practicing engineers and technicians working with solar cell and PV manufacturing and renewable energy technologies, as well as upper-level engineering and material science students. Presents a practical approach to solar cell fabrication, and characterization; Offers modular methodology with detailed equipment and process parameters supported by experimental results; Includes processing diagrams and tables for 16% efficient solar cell fabrication.

This introduction to the physics of silicon solar cells focuses on thin cells, while reviewing and discussing the current status of the important technology. An analysis of the spectral quantum efficiency of thin solar cells is given as well as a full set of analytical models. This is the first comprehensive treatment of light trapping techniques for the enhancement of the optical absorption in thin silicon films.

This is the first reference on amorphous silicon and polycrystalline silicon thin film transistors that gives a systematic global review of all major topics in the field. These volumes include sections on basic materials and substrates properties, fundamental device physics, critical fabrication processes (structures, a-Si: H, dielectric, metallization, catalytic CVD), and existing and new applications. The chapters are written by leading researchers who have extensive experience with reputed track records. Thin Film Transistors provides practical information on preparing individual functional a-Si: H TFTs and poly-Si TFTs as well as large-area TFT arrays. Also covered are basic theories on the a-Si: H TFT operations and unique material characteristics. Readers are also exposed to a wide range of existing and new applications in industries.