Surface textured ZnO films for thin film solar cell applications by expanding thermal plasma CVD

• Published in: Thin solid films Vol. 392; no. 2; pp. 226 - 230
• Main Authors: Groenen, R, Löffler, J, Sommeling, P.M, Linden, J.L, Hamers, E.A.G, Schropp, R.E.I, van de Sanden, M.C.M
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier B.V 30.07.2001; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Chemical vapor deposition (including plasma-enhanced cvd, mocvd, etc.); Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Energy; Exact sciences and technology; Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Natural energy; Photoelectric conversion: solar cells and arrays; Photovoltaic conversion; Physics; Plasma deposition; Solar cells; Solar cells. Photoelectrochemical cells; Solar energy; Structure and morphology; thickness; Surface texture; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Thin film structure and morphology; Zinc oxide; Solar cells; Zinc oxide; Surface texture; Plasma deposition; Atomic force microscopy; RBS; Inorganic compounds; Transition element compounds; Surfaces; Oxides; Crystal growth from vapors; XRD; Experimental study; Thermal plasma; Texture; Thin films; Zinc oxides; SEM; PECVD
• ISSN: 0040-6090; 1879-2731
• DOI: 10.1016/S0040-6090(01)01032-X

An expanding thermal plasma created by a cascaded arc is used to deposit surface textured ZnO films. Films have been deposited at 150–350°C at a rate of typically 0.70 nm/s. They exhibit low resistivity (<10 −3 Ωcm), high transmittance in the visible wavelength region (>80%) and a rough surface texture. The crystallite size and surface roughness increase with increasing deposition temperature and flow of argon ions. At the same time columnar textured growth gets less pronounced, a change to granular growth is observed. First p-i-n a-Si:H solar cells deposited on this material with initial efficiencies approaching 10% have been realised.