Electron and hole transport in microcrystalline silicon solar cells studied by time-of-flight photocurrent spectroscopy

TY - JOUR

T1 - Electron and hole transport in microcrystalline silicon solar cells studied by time-of-flight photocurrent spectroscopy

AU - Dylla, T.

AU - Reynolds, S.

AU - Carius, R.

AU - Finger, F.

N1 - Amorphous and Nanocrystalline Semiconductors - Science and Technology - Proceedings of the 21st International Conference on Amorphous and Nanocrystalline Semiconductors - Science and Technology

PY - 2006

Y1 - 2006

N2 - A photocurrent time-of-flight study of carrier transport in microcrystalline silicon pin diodes prepared over a range of crystallinities is presented. Electron and hole drift mobilities at a crystalline volume fraction >0.35 are typically 3.8 and 1.3 cm2/(V s) respectively at 300 K and a thickness to electric field ratio of 1.8 × 10-7 cm2/V. A factor of five enhancement in hole mobility over amorphous silicon persists at a crystalline volume fraction as low as 0.1. Current decays are dispersive and mobilities are thermally activated, although detailed field-dependence is still under investigation. Evidence for a sharp fall in the density of states at 0.13 eV above the valence band edge is presented. Similarities in behaviour with certain amorphous and polymorphous silicon samples are identified.

AB - A photocurrent time-of-flight study of carrier transport in microcrystalline silicon pin diodes prepared over a range of crystallinities is presented. Electron and hole drift mobilities at a crystalline volume fraction >0.35 are typically 3.8 and 1.3 cm2/(V s) respectively at 300 K and a thickness to electric field ratio of 1.8 × 10-7 cm2/V. A factor of five enhancement in hole mobility over amorphous silicon persists at a crystalline volume fraction as low as 0.1. Current decays are dispersive and mobilities are thermally activated, although detailed field-dependence is still under investigation. Evidence for a sharp fall in the density of states at 0.13 eV above the valence band edge is presented. Similarities in behaviour with certain amorphous and polymorphous silicon samples are identified.

KW - Solar cells

KW - Band structure

KW - Microcrystallinity

KW - Nanocrystals

KW - Medium-range order

U2 - 10.1016/j.jnoncrysol.2005.12.015

DO - 10.1016/j.jnoncrysol.2005.12.015

M3 - Article

SN - 0022-3093

VL - 352

SP - 1093

EP - 1096

JO - Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids

JF - Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids

IS - 9-20

T2 - 21st International Conference on Amorphous and Nanocrystalline Semiconductors

Y2 - 4 September 2005 through 9 September 2005

ER -