Papers by Author: C. Klimm

Abstract: For further enhancement of solar energy conversion efficiency the passivation of silicon (Si) substrate surfaces and interfaces of Si-based solar cell devices is a decisive precondition to reduce recombination losses of photogenerated charge carriers. These losses are mainly controlled by surface charges, the density and the character of rechargeable interface states (D_it) [], which are induced by defects localised in a small interlayer extending over only few Å. Therefore, the application of fast non-destructive methods for characterization of the electronic interface properties directly during the technological process has received an increasing interest in recent years.

Abstract: The dominance of crystalline silicon (Si) in photovoltaics can be ascribed partly to the extensive knowledge about this material, which has been accumulated in microelectronics technology. Methods to passivate Si interfaces, which were developed for microelectronic device technologies, have been extended to solar cell manufacturing in the past. These methods, however, have been optimised for polished substrates, and do not work so effective with textured surfaces, which commonly used in the fabrication of high efficiency Si solar cells to enhance anti-reflection properties.