https://doi.org/10.1051/epjpv/2013017
2D modelling of polycrystalline silicon thin film solar cells
1 Technische Universität Berlin, Semiconductor Devices Division, PVcomB, Einsteinufer 19, Sekr. E2, 10587 Berlin, Germany
2 Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin, Institute for Silicon Photovoltaics, Kekuléstrasse 5, 12489 Berlin, Germany
a
e-mail: ana-maria.teodoreanu@tu-berlin.de
Received: 17 September 2012
Accepted: 5 April 2013
Published online: 8 July 2013
The influence of grain boundary (GB) properties on device parameters of polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) thin film solar cells is investigated by two-dimensional device simulation. A realistic poly-Si thin film model cell composed of antireflection layer, (n+)-type emitter, thick p-type absorber, and (p+)-type back surface field was created. The absorber consists of a low-defect crystalline Si grain with an adjacent highly defective grain boundary layer. The performances of a reference cell without GB, one with n-type and one with p-type GB, respectively, are compared. The doping concentration and defect density at the GB are varied. It is shown that the impact of the grain boundary on the poly-Si cell is twofold: a local potential barrier is created at the GB, and a part of the photogenerated current flows within the GB. Regarding the cell performance, a highly doped n-type GB is less critical in terms of the cell’s short circuit current than a highly doped p-type GB, but more detrimental in terms of the cell’s open circuit voltage and fill factor.
© Teodoreanu et al., published by EDP Sciences, 2013
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