Substrate and p-layer effects on polymorphous silicon solar cells

The influence of textured transparent conducting oxide (TCO) substrate and p -layer on the performance of single-junction hydrogenated polymorphous silicon ( pm -Si:H) solar cells has been addressed. Comparative studies were performed using p - i - n devices with identical i / n -layers and back reflectors fabricated on textured Asahi U-type fluorine-doped SnO 2 , low-pressure chemical vapor deposited (LPCVD) boron-doped ZnO and sputtered/etched aluminum-doped ZnO substrates. The p -layers were hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbon and microcrystalline silicon oxide. As expected, the type of TCO and p -layer both have a great influence on the initial conversion efficiency of the solar cells. However they have no effect on the defect density of the pm -Si:H absorber layer.