Overview on SiN surface passivation of crystalline silicon solar cells

Silicon nitride (SiN) fabricated by plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposit ion (PECVD) is increasingly used within the crystalline silicon (c-Si) phot ovoltaic industry as it offers the possibility to fabricate a surface and b ulk passivating antireflection coating at low temperature (less than or equ al to 450 degreesC). This article presents an overview on the present statu s of SIN for industrial as well as laboratory-type c-Si solar cells. Topics covered include the fundamentals of the PECVD technology, the present stat us of high-throughput PECVD machines for the deposition of SiN onto c-Si wa fers, and a review of the fundamental properties of Si-SiN interfaces fabri cated by PECVD. (C), 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.