The Role of High-K Dielectrics in Improving the Performance of Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor Solar Cells
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ORIGINAL PAPER
The Role of High-K Dielectrics in Improving the Performance of Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor Solar Cells S. Ben Machiche 1,2 & L. Dehimi 1,2 & H. Bencherif 2 & F. Pezzimenti 3 Received: 10 May 2020 / Accepted: 18 August 2020 # Springer Nature B.V. 2020
Abstract This paper assesses the electrical performance of a metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) solar cell designed by using different high-k dielectrics. The study is aimed to achieve the optimized device geometrical dimensions while improving the quantum mechanical tunnelling mechanisms. In addition, an overall comparison between the proposed solar cell structures made of crystalline (c-Si) or hydrogenated amorphous (a-Si:H) silicon is presented. In particular, 10-Å-thick HfO2 and Al2O3 layers are used as alternative high-k materials to surmount the conventional SiO2 drawbacks. Besides, in order to achieve the highest possible conversion efficiency (n), we have investigated the oxide physical and geometrical parameters effects on the fundamental cell figure of merits. The obtained results indicate that a MIS solar cell involving HfO2 and a c-Si bulk, with cell thickness of 250 μm and an acceptor doping density of NA = 7 × 1015 cm−3, perform the optimized results, namely JSC = 45.06 mA/cm2,VOC = 0.592 V,FF = 81.95%, and η = 21.85%.At the same time, for an a-Si:H-based thin structure with a cell thickness of 2 μm(NA = 7 × 1015 cm−3) we obtained JSC = 16.3 mA/cm2,VOC = 1.025 V, FF = 78.8%,and η = 13.1%. Keywords Crystalline silicon . Amorphous silicon,Solar cell . Tunnelling current . High-k dielectrics
1 Introduction Metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) structures are well placed to pave the way for low cost high efficiency solar cells [1–3]. Several theoretical and experimental studies have been proposed to improve solar cells electrical and optical performances [4–7]. Whereas, crystalline silicon solar cells are exceptionally famous because of their higher conversion efficiency, they are still restricted to their massive size and higher cost and their elevated temperature of processing. In this context,
* L. Dehimi [email protected]; [email protected] 1
Faculty of Science, University of Batna, Batna 1, Algeria
2
Laboratory of Metallic and Semiconductor Materials, University of Biskra, Biskra, Algeria
3
DIIES, Mediterranea University of Reggio Calabria, Reggio Calabria, Italy
another way has appeared with a cheaper manufacturing cost compared to traditional silicon-based modules, is that of thin amorphous layers [8, 9]. Hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) has been developed as an important material in thin film-based photovoltaic technologies because of considerable cost reduction as a result of low material consumption and lowtemperature process [9, 10]. The presence of an insulating layer between the cell substrate and the metallization leads to an appreciable gain in the MIS photovoltaic properties, for example in terms of an increasing open-circuit voltage compared to the Schottkybarrier solar cells [11, 12]. The use of s
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