Argon plasma treatment of silicon nitride (SiN) for improved antireflection coating on c-Si solar cells

• Published in: Materials science & engineering. B, Solid-state materials for advanced technology Vol. 215; pp. 29 - 36
• Main Authors: Ghosh, Hemanta, Mitra, Suchismita, Saha, Hiranmay, Datta, Swapan Kumar, Banerjee, Chandan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier B.V 01.01.2017; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Ammonia; Antireflection coatings; Argon; Argon plasma; Argon plasma treatment; Chemical bonds; Double layer anti-reflection coating; Ellipsometry; Hydrogen storage; PECVD; Photovoltaic cells; Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition; Quantum efficiency; Reflectance; Refractivity; Short circuits; Silicon; Silicon nitride; Silicon oxynitride; Silicon substrates; Solar cell; Solar cells; Solar cell; Argon plasma treatment; Double layer anti-reflection coating; PECVD; Silicon nitride; Silicon oxynitride
• ISSN: 0921-5107; 1873-4944
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mseb.2016.11.003

•Antireflection properties of argon plasma treated silicon nitride layer and its effect on crystalline silicon solar cell.•The reduction in reflection due to the formation of a silicon oxynitride/silicon nitride double layer.•EQE reveals a relative increase of 2.72% in Jsc and 4.46% in conversion efficiency. Antireflection properties of argon plasma treated silicon nitride layer and its effect on crystalline silicon solar cell is presented here. Hydrogenated silicon nitride (a-SiN:H) layer has been deposited on a silicon substrate by Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition (PECVD) using a mixture of silane (SiH4), ammonia (NH3) and hydrogen (H2) gases followed by a argon plasma treatment. Optical analysis reveals a significant reduction in reflectance after argon plasma treatment of silicon nitride layer. While FESEM shows nanostructures on the surface of the silicon nitride film, FTIR reveals a change in SiN, SiO and NH bonds. On the other hand, ellipsometry shows the variation of refractive index and formation of double layer. Finally, a c-Si solar cell has been fabricated with the said anti-reflection coating. External quantum efficiency reveals a relative increase of 2.72% in the short circuit current density and 4.46% in conversion efficiency over a baseline efficiency of 16.58%.