title: Impact of Al passivation and cosputter on the structural property of β-FeSi2 for Al-doped β-FeSi2/n-Si(100) based solar cells application.
abstract: The aluminum (Al) doped polycrystalline p-type β-phase iron disilicide (p-β-FeSi2) is grown by thermal diffusion of Al from Al-passivated n-type Si(100) surface into FeSi2 during crystallization of amorphous FeSi2 to form a p-type β-FeSi2/n-Si(100) heterostructure solar cell. The structural and photovoltaic properties of p-type β-FeSi2/n-type c-Si structures is then investigated in detail by using X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy analysis, and electrical characterization. The results are compared with Al-doped p-β-FeSi2 prepared by using cosputtering of Al and FeSi2 layers on Al-passivated n-Si(100) substrates. A significant improvement in the maximum open-circuit voltage (Voc) from 120 to 320 mV is achieved upon the introduction of Al doping through cosputtering of Al and amorphous FeSi2 layer. The improvement in Voc is attributed to better structural quality of Al-doped FeSi2 film through Al doping and to the formation of high quality crystalline interface between Al-doped β-FeSi2 and n-type c-Si. The effects of Al-out diffusion on the performance of heterostructure solar cells have been investigated and discussed in detail.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), 3 Research Link, Singapore 117602. dalapatig@imre.a-star.edu.sg
authors.forename: Goutam Kumar
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Dalapati
authors.forename: Avishek
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Cheng Cheh
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Siao Li
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Liew
authors.forename: Prashant
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sonar
authors.forename: Hwee Leng
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Seng
authors.forename: Hui Kim
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Hui
authors.forename: Sudhiranjan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tripathy
authors.forename: Dongzhi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chi