Vapour-Phase and Solid-Phase Epitaxy of Silicon on Solid-Phase Crystallised Seed Layers for Solar Cells Application

Vapour-phase and solid-phase epitaxy are used for thickening of a solid-phase crystallised silicon seed layer on glass. Cross-sectional transmission microscope images confirm that a transfer of crystallographic information has taken place from the seed layer into the epilayers. X-ray diffraction, sc...

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Main Authors: Wei Li, Sergey Varlamov, Miga Jung, Jialiang Huang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2014-01-01
Series:International Journal of Photoenergy
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/234602
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author Wei Li
Sergey Varlamov
Miga Jung
Jialiang Huang
author_facet Wei Li
Sergey Varlamov
Miga Jung
Jialiang Huang
author_sort Wei Li
collection DOAJ
description Vapour-phase and solid-phase epitaxy are used for thickening of a solid-phase crystallised silicon seed layer on glass. Cross-sectional transmission microscope images confirm that a transfer of crystallographic information has taken place from the seed layer into the epilayers. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy reveal that the density of planar defects (mainly on {111} plains) in the vapour-phase epitaxial sample is much higher than in the solid-phase epitaxial sample. These planar defects can act as recombination centres for free-charge carriers. Consequently, PC1D modelled minority carrier diffusion length in the vapour-phase grown epilayer is 50% shorter than that in the solid-phase grown epilayer. As a result, a solar cell grown by solid-phase epitaxy achieves open circuit voltage of 468 mV, short circuit current of 9.17 mA/cm2, and photovoltaic conversion efficiency at 2.75% which are all higher than those of the solar cell grown by vapour-phase epitaxy on the same seed layer, 400 mV, 7.28 mA/cm2, 1.69%, respectively. It proves that solid-phase epitaxy is more suitable for the solar cell growth on the solid-phase crystallised silicon seed layer than vapour-phase epitaxy.
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spelling doaj-art-42e0eb1c62d64e4a945ac8a8067d73752025-08-20T02:39:18ZengWileyInternational Journal of Photoenergy1110-662X1687-529X2014-01-01201410.1155/2014/234602234602Vapour-Phase and Solid-Phase Epitaxy of Silicon on Solid-Phase Crystallised Seed Layers for Solar Cells ApplicationWei Li0Sergey Varlamov1Miga Jung2Jialiang Huang3School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, AustraliaSchool of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, AustraliaSchool of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, AustraliaSchool of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, AustraliaVapour-phase and solid-phase epitaxy are used for thickening of a solid-phase crystallised silicon seed layer on glass. Cross-sectional transmission microscope images confirm that a transfer of crystallographic information has taken place from the seed layer into the epilayers. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy reveal that the density of planar defects (mainly on {111} plains) in the vapour-phase epitaxial sample is much higher than in the solid-phase epitaxial sample. These planar defects can act as recombination centres for free-charge carriers. Consequently, PC1D modelled minority carrier diffusion length in the vapour-phase grown epilayer is 50% shorter than that in the solid-phase grown epilayer. As a result, a solar cell grown by solid-phase epitaxy achieves open circuit voltage of 468 mV, short circuit current of 9.17 mA/cm2, and photovoltaic conversion efficiency at 2.75% which are all higher than those of the solar cell grown by vapour-phase epitaxy on the same seed layer, 400 mV, 7.28 mA/cm2, 1.69%, respectively. It proves that solid-phase epitaxy is more suitable for the solar cell growth on the solid-phase crystallised silicon seed layer than vapour-phase epitaxy.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/234602
spellingShingle Wei Li
Sergey Varlamov
Miga Jung
Jialiang Huang
Vapour-Phase and Solid-Phase Epitaxy of Silicon on Solid-Phase Crystallised Seed Layers for Solar Cells Application
International Journal of Photoenergy
title Vapour-Phase and Solid-Phase Epitaxy of Silicon on Solid-Phase Crystallised Seed Layers for Solar Cells Application
title_full Vapour-Phase and Solid-Phase Epitaxy of Silicon on Solid-Phase Crystallised Seed Layers for Solar Cells Application
title_fullStr Vapour-Phase and Solid-Phase Epitaxy of Silicon on Solid-Phase Crystallised Seed Layers for Solar Cells Application
title_full_unstemmed Vapour-Phase and Solid-Phase Epitaxy of Silicon on Solid-Phase Crystallised Seed Layers for Solar Cells Application
title_short Vapour-Phase and Solid-Phase Epitaxy of Silicon on Solid-Phase Crystallised Seed Layers for Solar Cells Application
title_sort vapour phase and solid phase epitaxy of silicon on solid phase crystallised seed layers for solar cells application
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/234602
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AT sergeyvarlamov vapourphaseandsolidphaseepitaxyofsilicononsolidphasecrystallisedseedlayersforsolarcellsapplication
AT migajung vapourphaseandsolidphaseepitaxyofsilicononsolidphasecrystallisedseedlayersforsolarcellsapplication
AT jialianghuang vapourphaseandsolidphaseepitaxyofsilicononsolidphasecrystallisedseedlayersforsolarcellsapplication