Nanoscale study of the hole-selective passivating contacts with high thermal budget using C-AFM tomography

0543404 - FZÚ 2022 RIV US eng J - Journal Article
Hývl, Matěj - Nogay, G. - Lőper, P. - Haug, F.J. - Jeangros, Q. - Fejfar, Antonín - Ballif, C. - Ledinský, Martin
Nanoscale study of the hole-selective passivating contacts with high thermal budget using C-AFM tomography.
ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces. Roč. 13, č. 8 (2021), s. 9994-10000. ISSN 1944-8244. E-ISSN 1944-8252
R&D Projects: GA MŠMT EF16_026/0008382; GA MŠMT LM2018110
Grant - others:OP VVV - CARAT CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/16_026/0008382
Institutional support: RVO:68378271
Keywords : silicon solar cell * passivating contact * scalpel C-AFM * C-AFM tomography * charge-carrier transport
OECD category: Condensed matter physics (including formerly solid state physics, supercond.)
Impact factor: 10.383, year: 2021
Method of publishing: Limited access
https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.0c21282

We investigate hole selective passivating contacts that consist of an interfacial layer of silicon oxide (SiOx) and a layer of boron-doped SiCx. The fabrication process of these contacts involves an annealing step at temperatures above 750°C which crystallizes the initially amorphous layer and diffuses dopants across the interfacial oxide into the wafer to facilitate charge transport, but it can also disrupt the SiOx layer necessary for wafer-surface passivation. To investigate the transport mechanism of the charge carriers through the selective contact and its changes during the annealing process, we utilize various characterization methods, such as transmission electron microscopy, micro Raman spectroscopy and Conductive Atomic Force Microscopy. Combining the latter with a sequential removal of material, we assemble a tomographic reconstruction of the crystallized layer that reveals the presence of preferential vertical transport channels.

Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0320620