Thin (similar to 16 mum.) base-layer monocrystalline silicon solar cells ha
ve been investigated with microcrystalline or epitaxial n-type emitters gro
wn at low temperatures (<550 <degrees>C) by electron cyclotron resonance (E
CR) plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD). The p-type, 1-2 Ome
ga cm, base layers were epitaxially deposited by conventional thermal CVD o
nto monocrystalline Si p(+) substrates. An efficiency of 13.72% was achieve
d in the best epitaxial emitter cell after ECR hydrogen passivation and the
application of a SiNx anti-reflection coating deposited by ECR PECVD. Cell
s with microcrystalline Si emitters processed in a similar fashion gave a m
aximum efficiency of 10.73%. The cell performance was analysed using the tw
o-diode model and the solar cell modelling programme PC-1D. The results are
presented. It was necessary to invoke a three-layer PC-1D model to obtain
self-consistent fits to the light and dark I-V characteristics and spectral
response data.