Device simulation and fabrication of field effect solar cells

The performance of a novel hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) solar ce ll which utilizes the field effect solar cell (FESC) has been investigated both theoretically and experimentally. The theoretical analysis has been do ne for both p- and n-channel FESCs by employing a two-dimensional device si mulator which is based on current continuity and Poisson equations. The cal culated performance is compared with that of conventional (p-i-n) a-Si:H so lar cells. The calculation demonstrated that both n-channel and p-channel F ESCs could improve the conversion efficiency by as much as 50%. In order to check the reliability of simulation, the transport properties o f intrinsic a-Si:H film and thin film transistor (TFT) have also been calcu lated and compared with the experimentally obtained characteristics. Experi mental verification of TFT and FESC has been attempted by using MgO and a-S iN:H as dielectric layer materials. Preliminary results are presented.