• Weizman, M.; Klimm, C.; Nittel, M.; Kastner, M.; Hernandez, C.; Nickel, N.H.; Sontheimer, T.; Rech, B.: Formation of a laser-crystallized silicon seed layer for polycrystalline thin film solar cells. In: De Santi, G.F. [u.a.] [Eds.] : 25th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition / 5th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, 6-10 September 2010, Valencia, Spain. EU PVSECMunich: WIP, 2010. - ISBN 3-936338-26-4, p. 2828-2831


Abstract:
The aim of this study was to investigate to which extend introducing a laser-crystallized seed layer into a polycrystalline silicon thin film solar cell can be beneficial for this device. The seed layers were prepared with a pulsed excimer laser on SiN coated glass and exhibit an enhancement in the grain size at the transition between partial and complete melting of the layer, which is also known as the super lateral growth (SLG) effect. Two approaches to perform epitaxial thickening of the seed layers and form solar cells were tested. The first was direct epitaxy during deposition at elevated temperatures and the second was solid phase epitaxy (SPE) after depositing the Si as amorphous material. The results show a clear correlation between the microstructure of the seed layer and the performance of the solar cells.