Correlation Between the Raman Crystallinity of p-Type Micro-Crystalline Silicon Layer and Open Circuit Voltage of n-i-p Solar Cells.

This article mainly discusses the difference between p-i-n and n-i-p type solar cells. Their structural difference has an effect on cell performance, such as open circuit voltage and fill factor. Although the deposition conditions are the same for both p-i-n and n-i-p cases, the substrate layers for depositing p-type microcrystalline silicon layers differ. In n-i-p cells, the substrate layer is p-type amorphous silicon oxide layer; whereas, in p-i-n cells, the substrate layer is ZnO:Al. The interfacial change leads to a 12% difference in the crystallinity of the p-type microcrystalline silicon layers. When the p-type microcrystalline silicon layer's crystallinity was not sufficient to activate an internal electric field, the open circuit voltage and fill factor decreased 0.075 V and 7.36%, respectively. We analyzed this problem by comparing the Raman spectra, electrical conductivity, activation energy and solar cell performance. By adjusting the thickness of the p-type microcrystalline silicon layer, we increased the open circuit voltage of the n-i-p cell from 0.835 to 0.91 V.