Low-temperature formation of local Al contacts to a-Si:H-passivated Si wafers

• Published in: Progress in photovoltaics Vol. 12; no. 1; pp. 47 - 54
• Main Authors: Plagwitz, H., Nerding, M., Ott, N., Strunk, H. P., Brendel, R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 01.01.2004; Wiley
• Subjects: a-Si:H; aluminum contacts; aluminum-induced crystallization; amorphous silicon; annealing; Applied sciences; contact resistance; Energy; Exact sciences and technology; Natural energy; Photovoltaic conversion; solar cell metallization; Solar cells. Photoelectrochemical cells; Solar energy; surface passivation; Annealing; amorphous silicon; surface passivation; Resistivity; aluminum contacts; aluminum-induced crystallization; Mask; Metallizing; Shadow; Crystalline material; Boron; solar cell metallization; Surface recombination; contact resistance; a-Si:H; Silicon; Wafer; Low temperature
• ISSN: 1062-7995; 1099-159X
• DOI: 10.1002/pip.522

We have passivated boron‐doped, low‐resistivity crystalline silicon wafers on both sides by a layer of intrinsic, amorphous silicon (a‐Si:H). Local aluminum contacts were subsequently evaporated through a shadow mask. Annealing at 210°C in air dissolved the a‐Si:H underneath the Al layer and reduces the contact resistivity from above 1 Ω cm2 to 14·9 m Ω cm2. The average surface recombination velocity is 124 cm/s for the annealed samples with 6% metallization fraction. In contrast to the metallized regions, no structural change is observed in the non‐metallized regions of the annealed a‐Si:H film, which has a recombination velocity of 48 cm/s before and after annealing. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.