Improving The Performance Of Crystalline Si Solar Cell By High-Pressure Hydrogenation*

We report an approach of high-pressure hydrogenation to improve the performance of crystalline Si (c-Si) solar cells. As-received p-type c-Si wafer-based PN junctions were subjected to high-pressure (2.5 MPa) hydrogen atmosphere at 200 degrees C, followed by evaporating antireflection layers, passivation layers, and front and rear electrodes. The efficiency of the so prepared c-Si solar cell was found to increase evidently after high-pressure hydrogenation, with a maximal enhancement of 10%. The incorporation of hydrogen by Si solar cells was identified, and hydrogen passivation of dangling bonds in Si was confirmed. Compared to the regular approach of hydrogen plasma passivation, the approach of high-pressure hydrogenation reported here needs no post-hydrogenation treatment, and can be more convenient and efficient to use in improving the performances of the c-Si and other solar cells.