Highly textured ZnO:B films grown by low pressure chemical vapor deposition for efficiency enhancement of heterojunction silicon-based solar cells

This paper demonstrates the growth of highly-textured boron-doped ZnO (ZnO:B) film by using low-pressure chemical-vapor-deposition (LPCVD) for efficient light harvesting and carrier collection in heterojunction silicon-based (HJS) solar cells. The optical and electrical characteristics have been optimized versus the substrate temperature and B2H6 flow rate for tradeoffs among the sheet resistance, free-carrier absorption, and optical transmission of blue/green wavelengths. A HJS solar cell with a 1.6-μm-thick ZnO:B film achieves a high power conversion efficiency of 16.30% and fill factor of 78.05%, compared to 15.64% and 72.17%, respectively, from a counterpart with a conventional 80-nm-thick indium tin oxide layer.

► The highly-textured ZnO:B film is grown by LPCVD system. ► The ZnO:B film is excellent in efficient light harvesting and carrier collection. ► The ZnO:B film properties were optimized versus the temperature and B2H6 flow rate. ► A HJS solar cell with a ZnO:B film achieves a high power conversion efficiency.