Effect of additional HfO2 layer deposition on heterojunction c‐Si solar cells

• Published in: Energy science & engineering Vol. 6; no. 6; pp. 706 - 715
• Main Authors: Lee, Doo Won, Bhopal, Muhammad Fahad, Lee, Sang Hee, Lee, Ah Reum, Kim, Han Jun, Rehman, Malik Abdul, Seo, Yongho, Lim, Kyoung‐jin, Shin, Won‐suk, Lee, Soo Hong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.12.2018
• Subjects: Absorption; anti‐reflection coating; Current density; Deposition; Efficiency; Electromagnetic absorption; external quantum efficiency; Hafnium oxide; Heterojunctions; HfO2; HITsolar cell; Photovoltaic cells; Quantum efficiency; Silicon substrates; Solar cells; Thickness; thin‐film
• ISSN: 2050-0505; 2050-0505
• DOI: 10.1002/ese3.245

The efficiency of a heterojunction with intrinsic thin‐layer (HIT) solar cell with an insulator/ITO structure was discussed in this paper. First, the efficiency was analyzed by OPAL 2 simulations. Second, an insulator/ITO structure was experimentally applied to a HIT solar cell. The OPAL 2 simulations using an insulator/ITO/Si structure and a TCO/ITO/Si structure showed that the generation current density in the Si substrate increased when the insulator or TCO layer had a proper thickness. Experimentally, HfO2, a type of insulator, was deposited on a HIT solar cell with a thickness varying from 3 to 15 nm. The average efficiency of the HIT solar cell improved from 18.21% to 20.75% after HfO2 deposition. The highest efficiency was achieved for the 3‐nm‐thick HfO2/HIT solar cell structure, which exhibited the best improvement in the current density of approximately 1.5 mA/cm2. For the external quantum efficiency of the HfO2/HIT solar cell, the total absorption was improved by HfO2 deposition. The results suggest that the HfO2 layer improves the solar cell efficiency of the HIT solar cell by increasing light absorption. The simulations using an insulator or TCO/ITO/Si structures showed that the generation current density increased when the insulator or TCO layer had a proper thickness. Experimentally, the average efficiency of the HIT solar cell improved from 18.21% to 20.75% after HfO2 deposition, a type of insulator. The highest efficiency was achieved for the 3‐nm‐thick HfO2/HIT solar cell structure, which exhibited the best improvement in the current density of approximately 1.5 mA/cm2.