A combined experimental and computer simulation study of HWCVD nip microcrystalline silicon solar cells

Microcrystalline silicon solar cells with intrinsic layer thicknesses between 500 and 3000 nm deposited using the hot-wire CVD technique are investigated, combining experimental characterisation with computer simulations. Fitting of the solar cell characteristic curves shows that this material has a density of dangling bonds and drift mobility that are comparable to that of amorphous silicon, whereas its mobility band gap is closer to the value of crystalline silicon. These fittings can be done assuming homogeneous electrical parameters in the intrinsic layers. A maximum in solar cell performance was seen for i-layer thickness of 3000 nm.