Sputtered Al-doped ZnO transparent conducting thin films suitable for silicon solar cells

• Published in: Thin solid films Vol. 553; pp. 123 - 126
• Main Authors: Ben Ayadi, Z., Mahdhi, H., Djessas, K., Gauffier, J.L., El Mir, L., Alaya, S.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 28.02.2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Deposition by sputtering; Electrical properties of specific thin films; Electronic structure and electrical properties of surfaces, interfaces, thin films and low-dimensional structures; Energy; Engineering Sciences; Exact sciences and technology; Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Nanostructures; Natural energy; Photovoltaic conversion; Physics; Porous silicon; Solar cells; Solar cells. Photoelectrochemical cells; Solar energy; Sol–gel; Sputtering; Structure and morphology; thickness; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Thin film structure and morphology; Zinc oxide; Solar cells; Zinc oxide; Nanostructures; Sol–gel; Porous silicon; Sputtering; Crystal orientation; Doping; Porous semiconductors; Polycrystals; Thin films; Cathode sputtering; Sol―gel; Transparent thin film; Hexagonal crystals; p n junctions; EBIC; Physical vapor deposition; Illumination; Silicon; Nanopowder; IV characteristic; Current density; Sol-gel process; Radiofrequency sputtering; Crystallographic direction; Zinc additions; Transmittance; Preferred orientation; Aluminium additions; Electric resistivity; Wurtzite structure; Sputter deposition
• ISSN: 0040-6090; 1879-2731
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2013.11.120

Highly transparent conducting Al-doped zinc oxide (AZO) thin films have been grown onto p-type porous silicon substrates by RF-magnetron sputtering at room temperature using aluminum doped nanocrystalline powder. The obtained AZO films were polycrystalline with a hexagonal wurtzite structure and preferentially oriented in the (002) crystallographic direction. The films are highly transparent in the visible wavelength region with a transmittance higher than 85% and an electrical resistivity of 1.56×10−4Ω·cm was obtained at room temperature. On the other hand, we have studied the position of the p–n junction involved in the In2O3:SnO2/(n)AZO/Si(p) structure, by electron-beam induced current technique. Current density–voltage characterizations in dark and under illumination were also investigated. The cell exhibits an efficiency of 5%. •Al-doped zinc oxide (AZO) thin films were grown by RF-magnetron sputtering.•AZO nanopowder compacted target was prepared by a sol–gel method.•AZO thin films are polycrystalline and have preferred orientation along c-axis.•We report a photovoltaic effect in Si(p)/porous silicon/AZO heterostructure.•The cell exhibits an efficiency of 5%.