Surface passivation of phosphorus-diffused n ⁺-type emitters by plasma-assisted atomic-layer deposited Al ₂O ₃

authored by

B. Hoex, M. C.M. van de Sanden, J. Schmidt, R. Brendel, W. M.M. Kessels

Abstract

In recent years Al ₂O ₃ has received tremendous interest in the photovoltaic community for the application as surface passivation layer for crystalline silicon. Especially p-type c-Si surfaces are very effectively passivated by Al ₂O ₃, including p-type emitters, due to the high fixed negative charge in the Al ₂O ₃ film. In this Letter we show that Al ₂O ₃ prepared by plasma-assisted atomic layer deposition (ALD) can actually provide a good level of surface passivation for highly doped n-type emitters in the range of 10-100 Ω/sq with implied-V _oc values up to 680 mV. For n-type emitters in the range of 100-200 Ω/sq the implied-V _oc drops to a value of 600 mV for a 200 Ω/sq emitter, indicating a decreased level of surface passivation. For even lighter doped n-type surfaces the passivation quality increases again to implied-V _oc values well above 700 mV. Hence, the results presented here indicate that within a certain doping range, highly doped n- and p-type surfaces can be passivated simultaneously by Al ₂O ₃.

External Organisation(s)

National University of Singapore
Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e)
Institute for Solar Energy Research (ISFH)

Type

Article

Journal

Physica Status Solidi - Rapid Research Letters

Volume

6

Pages

4-6

No. of pages

3

ISSN

1862-6254

Publication date

13.12.2011

Publication status

Published

Peer reviewed

Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Materials Science, Condensed Matter Physics

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy

Electronic version(s)

https://doi.org/10.1002/pssr.201105445 (Access: Open)