Interface Optimization for Improved Photovoltaic Devices

Author: Glaudell, Rebecca Denise

Year: 2022

Degree: Dissertation (Ph.D.)

Advisor: Atwater, Harry Albert

Committee Members: Hsieh, David; Refael, Gil; Scherer, Axel; Atwater, Harry Albert

Option: Physics

DOI: 10.7907/kxdy-h496

Abstract

The wide band gaps and superior conductivity of ZnSₓSe₁₋ₓ semiconductors to amorphous Si suggest an alternative carrier-selective contact in silicon heterojunction solar cells. Electron-selective ZnSₓSe₁₋ₓ front contacts on p-type c-Si solar cells are explored by simulating in Sentaurus TCAD a large design parameter space informed by experimentally determined optoelectronic properties. Comparable performance to experimental and simulated p-SHJ reference devices is shown, with a champion simulated device efficiency of 20.8%. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is used to measure band offsets at interfaces for the aforementioned ZnSₓSe₁₋ₓ-c-Si photovoltaic devices as well as various carrier-selective contacts and passivation layers for GaAs photovoltaic devices.

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