Abstract
We present an algorithm for generating a surface approximation of microcrystalline silicon (μc-Si) layers after plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) onto surface textured substrates, where data of the textured substrate surface are available as input. We utilize mathematical image processing tools and combine them with an ellipsoid generator approach. The presented algorithm has been tuned for use in thin-film silicon solar cell applications, where textured surfaces are used to improve light trapping. We demonstrate the feasibility of this method by means of optical simulations of generated surface textures, comparing them to simulations of measured atomic force microscopy (AFM) scan data of both Aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO, a transparent and conductive material) and μc-Si layers.
Highlights
Optical simulations are an important part of the design process of efficient thin-film solar cells
One generally relies on atomic force microscopy (AFM) scan data of layer interfaces to feed into the simulation
We present an algorithm based on a different approach, rooted in mathematical image processing
Summary
Optical simulations are an important part of the design process of efficient thin-film solar cells. One would rather be able to predict the influence of changes in the manufacturing and processing of a single layer on the resulting solar cell To this end, Linz et al [2, 3] presented a model for a-Si thin-film growth based on physical parameters, like e.g. surface tension of the medium. The model is applied to predict the surface morphology of a μc-Si film with a thickness in the sub-micron range deposited on an AZO layer that exhibits large surface features In this regime, the formation of nanofeatures is more pronounced than the effects of columnar growth, which in turn begins to exhibit an increasing influence at higher layer thicknesses. The simulation software and its components have been validated against analytical solutions as well as EQE and JSC measurements of manufactured solar cells in various scenarios in the past (cf. [19, 20, 21])
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