Sub-stochiometric MoOx by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering as hole-selective passivating contacts for silicon heterojunction solar cells

doi:10.1088/1674-1056/ac5a42

Abstract The silicon heterojunction (SHJ) solar cell has long been considered as one of the most promising candidates for the next-generation PV market. Transition metal oxides (TMOs) show good carrier selectivity when combined with c-Si solar cells. This has led to the rapid demonstration of the remarkable potential of TMOs (especially MoO_x) with high work function to replace the p-type a-Si:H emitting layer. MoO_x can induce a strong inversion layer on the interface of n-type c-Si, which is beneficial to the extraction and conduction of holes. In this paper, the radio-frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering is used to deposit MoO_x films. The optical, electrical and structural properties of MoO_x films are measured and analyzed, with focus on the inherent compositions and work function. Then the MoO_x films are applied into SHJ solar cells. When the MoO_x works as a buffer layer between ITO/p-a-Si:H interface in the reference SHJ solar cell, a conversion efficiency of 19.1% can be obtained. When the MoO_x is used as a hole transport layer (HTL), the device indicates a desirable conversion efficiency of 17.5%. To the best of our knowledge, this current efficiency is the highest one for the MoO_x film as HTL by RF sputtering.

Keywords: radio-frequency magnetron sputtering silicon heterojunction (SHJ) solar cell MoO_x hole transport layer

Received: 13 January 2022
Revised: 02 March 2022
Accepted manuscript online: 03 March 2022

PACS:	84.60.Jt	(Photoelectric conversion)
	88.40.H-	(Solar cells (photovoltaics))
	88.40.jj	(Silicon solar cells)

Fund: Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 62074084), the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2018YFB1500402), and Key Research and Development Program of Hebei Province, China (Grant No. 20314303D).

Corresponding Authors: Qian Huang, Guofu Hou
E-mail: gfhou@nankai.edu.cn;carolinehq@nankai.edu.cn

Cite this article:

Xiufang Yang(杨秀芳), Shengsheng Zhao(赵生盛), Qian Huang(黄茜), Cao Yu(郁超), Jiakai Zhou(周佳凯), Xiaoning Liu(柳晓宁), Xianglin Su(苏祥林),Ying Zhao(赵颖), and Guofu Hou(侯国付) Sub-stochiometric MoO_x by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering as hole-selective passivating contacts for silicon heterojunction solar cells 2022 Chin. Phys. B 31 098401

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Sub-stochiometric MoOx by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering as hole-selective passivating contacts for silicon heterojunction solar cells

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Sub-stochiometric MoO_x by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering as hole-selective passivating contacts for silicon heterojunction solar cells