First down converter multilayers integration in an industrial Si solar cell process

Down converter SiNx:Yb3+/SiNx:Tb3+ multilayers are deposited by reactive magnetron cosputtering with the objective of optimizing the interaction distance between Tb3+ and Yb3+ ions to favor a better light management in Si solar cells. Those Si-based multilayers are developed to be compatible with the Si photovoltaic technology. The deposition parameters are optimized to enhance the emission of the Yb3+ ions in the IR region. The emission efficiency of such multilayer structure is compared with a mixed RE SiNx:Tb3+-Yb3+ layer evidencing a gain resulting from a better management of the Tb3+ and Yb3+ ions distance. At the end, we integrate the growth of such a multilayer in an industrial Si solar cell process and demonstrate the existence of a frequency conversion effect that is promising for the future increase of the Si solar cell efficiency.