Damage at hydrogenated amorphous/crystalline silicon interfaces by indium tin oxide overlayer sputtering

Bénédicte Demaurex, Stefaan De Wolf, Antoine Descoeudres, Zachary Charles Holman, Christophe Ballif

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

201 Scopus citations

Abstract

Damage of the hydrogenated amorphous/crystalline silicon interface passivation during transparent conductive oxide sputtering is reported. This occurs in the fabrication process of silicon heterojunction solar cells. We observe that this damage is at least partially caused by luminescence of the sputter plasma. Following low-temperature annealing, the electronic interface properties are recovered. However, the silicon-hydrogen configuration of the amorphous silicon film is permanently changed, as observed from infra-red absorbance spectra. In silicon heterojunction solar cells, although the as-deposited films microstructure cannot be restored after sputtering, no significant losses are observed in their open-circuit voltage.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number171604
JournalApplied Physics Letters
Volume101
Issue number17
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 22 2012
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous)

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