In Situ Annealing of Boron-Doped Amorphous Silicon Layers Using APCVD Technology

In this work, we developed an in situ annealing process to crystallize boron-doped amorphous silicon [a-Si(p+)] layers deposited by atmospheric pressure chemical vapour deposition (APCVD) to form boron-doped polycrystalline silicon [poly-Si(p+)] layers. The influence of the temperature profiles during a-Si(p+) inline deposition on structural,...

Screen Printed Fire-Through Contact Formation for Polysilicon-Passivated Contacts and Phosphorus-Diffused Contacts

In this article, we investigate the passivation quality and electrical contact properties for samples with a 150 nm thick n+ polysilicon layer in comparison to samples with a phosphorus diffused layer. High level of passivation is achieved for the samples with n+ polysilicon layer and an interfacial oxide underneath it. The contact properties...

Geometrical optimisation of core-shell nanowire arrays for enhanced absorption in thin crystalline silicon heterojunction solar cells

Background: Elongated nanostructures, such as nanowires, have attracted significant attention for application in silicon-based solar cells. The high aspect ratio and characteristic radial junction configuration can lead to higher device performance, by increasing light absorption and, at the same time, improving the collection efficiency of...

Solar fuel production by using PV/PEC junctions based on earth-abundant materials

One of the main problems of renewable energies is storage of the energy carrier. For long-term storage, solar fuels seem to be a good option. Direct solar water splitting could play an important role in the production of these solar fuels. One of the main challenges of this process is the charge separation and collection at the interfaces. The...