Simulation and Fabrication of HfO2 Thin Films Passivating Si from a Numerical Computer and Remote Plasma ALD

Xiao-Ying Zhang; Chia-Hsun Hsu; Yun-Shao Cho; Shui-Yang Lien; Wen-Zhang Zhu; Song-Yan Chen; Wei Huang; Lin-Gui Xie; Lian-Dong Chen; Xu-Yang Zou; Si-Xin Huang

doi:10.3390/app7121244

Applied Sciences (Dec 2017)

Simulation and Fabrication of HfO2 Thin Films Passivating Si from a Numerical Computer and Remote Plasma ALD

Xiao-Ying Zhang,
Chia-Hsun Hsu,
Yun-Shao Cho,
Shui-Yang Lien,
Wen-Zhang Zhu,
Song-Yan Chen,
Wei Huang,
Lin-Gui Xie,
Lian-Dong Chen,
Xu-Yang Zou,
Si-Xin Huang

Affiliations

Xiao-Ying Zhang: School of Opto-electronic and Communication Engineering, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Technology and Devices, Xiamen University of Technology, Xiamen 361024, China
Chia-Hsun Hsu: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Da-Yeh University, ChungHua 51591, Taiwan
Yun-Shao Cho: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Da-Yeh University, ChungHua 51591, Taiwan
Shui-Yang Lien: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Da-Yeh University, ChungHua 51591, Taiwan
Wen-Zhang Zhu: School of Opto-electronic and Communication Engineering, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Technology and Devices, Xiamen University of Technology, Xiamen 361024, China
Song-Yan Chen: Department of Physics, OSED, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
Wei Huang: Department of Physics, OSED, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
Lin-Gui Xie: School of Opto-electronic and Communication Engineering, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Technology and Devices, Xiamen University of Technology, Xiamen 361024, China
Lian-Dong Chen: School of Opto-electronic and Communication Engineering, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Technology and Devices, Xiamen University of Technology, Xiamen 361024, China
Xu-Yang Zou: School of Opto-electronic and Communication Engineering, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Technology and Devices, Xiamen University of Technology, Xiamen 361024, China
Si-Xin Huang: School of Opto-electronic and Communication Engineering, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Technology and Devices, Xiamen University of Technology, Xiamen 361024, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/app7121244
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 7, no. 12
p. 1244

Abstract

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Recombination of charge carriers at silicon surfaces is one of the biggest loss mechanisms in crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cells. Hafnium oxide (HfO2) has attracted much attention as a passivation layer for n-type c-Si because of its positive fixed charges and thermal stability. In this study, HfO2 films are deposited on n-type c-Si using remote plasma atomic layer deposition (RP-ALD). Post-annealing is performed using a rapid thermal processing system at different temperatures in nitrogen ambient for 10 min. The effects of post-annealing temperature on the passivation properties of the HfO2 films on c-Si are investigated. Personal computer one dimension numerical simulation for the passivated emitter and rear contact (PERC) solar cells with the HfO2 passivation layer is also presented. By means of modeling and numerical computer simulation, the influence of different front surface recombination velocity (SRV) and rear SRV on n-type silicon solar cell performance was investigated. Simulation results show that the n-type PERC solar cell with HfO2 single layer can have a conversion efficiency of 22.1%. The PERC using silicon nitride/HfO2 stacked passivation layer can further increase efficiency to 23.02% with an open-circuit voltage of 689 mV.

Published in Applied Sciences

ISSN: 2076-3417 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Technology: Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General); Science: Biology (General); Science: Physics; Science: Chemistry
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci

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