Influence of front electrode and back reflector electrode on the performances of microcrystalline silicon solar cells

In this paper, a series of microcrystalline silicon solar cells were prepared on different front electrodes and back reflector electrodes by very high frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (VHF-PECVD). Front electrodes were mainly focused on SnO2/ZnO and wet-etched ZnO substrates. Back reflector electrodes were Al, ZnO/Al and ZnO/Ag/Al. The results indicated that the performances of microcrystalline silicon solar cells strongly depended on the structure of the front electrode and back reflector electrode. The front electrode influenced all characteristic parameters of solar cells, such as fill factor (FF), open circuit voltage (V-oc) and short circuit current density (J(sc)). However, the back reflector electrode mainly influenced the J(sc) of solar cells. As a result, the front electrodes and back reflector electrodes increased conversion efficiency of microcrystalline silicon solar cells with 1-2%. Finally, microcrystalline silicon solar cells with 9.2% conversion efficiency were prepared by VHF-PECVD (FF = 63%, V-oc = 0.55 V, J(sc) = 26.5 mA/cm(2)). (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.