Recombination efficacy in a-Si:H p-i-n devices

The performance of hydrogenated amorphous silicon solar cells (a-Si:H) is limited due to the relatively high defect concentration in the intrinsic layer, leading to high recombination rates. The dark current-voltage (JV) characteristics of these cells are mainly determined by recombination processes. Several parameters influence these processes: the density-of-states distribution in the mobility gap, the spatial distribution of recombination centers, and the recombination efficacy. As a result the ideality factor is non-integer and varies with voltage. The temperature dependence of the dark JV curves reveals the bias dependent activation energy, a measure for the mobility gap, and the temperature dependence of the recombination efficacy.In this contribution we present results of accurate dark JV measurements at different temperatures and a comparison to computer simulations. By analyzing the temperature dependence we study the influence of the recombination efficacy on the recombination rate and determine where in the device recombination is most effective. Simulations show that the shape of the recombination efficacy curve depends on the cross-section ratio for electron and hole trapping. Whereas the recombination rate is mainly determined by the local defect density in the device and controls the JV characteristic, the recombination efficacy controls the temperature dependence.

► We aim to study the temperature dependence of recombination processes in solar cells. ► The dark current activation energy shows a thermal ideality factor of 2. ► The recombination rate is high near the p-i interface due to the high defect density in this region. ► The recombination efficacy determines the temperature dependence of the devices. ► The recombination efficacy profile depends on the electron and hole cross-section ratio.