An evaluation of potentially low‐cost silicon substrates for metal‐insulator‐semiconductor solar cells

摘要

Cr metal‐insulator‐semiconductor solar cells were fabricated on special silicon substrates identified as 5‐in.‐diam Czochralski wafers, Wacker polycrystalline‐Si, silicon on ceramic, and IBM ribbon. These cells produced open circuit voltages ranging from 0.58 to 0.48 V, short circuit current density from 32 to 18 mA/cm2, and efficiency from 11.5 to 5.1% depending on surface perfection and diffusion length. Spectral response data gave diffusion length values in a range from 150 to 39 mm. Calculations showed interface state density values ranging from 4.2×1012 to 1.2×1013/cm2 eV, which are quite high due to the surface nature of these substrates.