Transmission Electron Microscopy of the Textured Silver Back Reflector of a Thin Film Silicon Solar Cell: From Crystallography to Optical Absorption

Martial Duchamp; K. Söderström; Q. Jeangros; Chris Boothroyd; A. Kovacs; Takeshi Kasama; F.-J Haug; C. Ballif; Rafal E. Dunin-Borkowski; H. Ossenbrink; A. Jager-Waldau; P. Helm

doi:10.4229/26thEUPVSEC2011-3AV.1.38

Transmission Electron Microscopy of the Textured Silver Back Reflector of a Thin Film Silicon Solar Cell: From Crystallography to Optical Absorption

Martial Duchamp, K. Söderström, Q. Jeangros, Chris Boothroyd, A. Kovacs, Takeshi Kasama, F.-J Haug, C. Ballif, Rafal E. Dunin-Borkowski, H. Ossenbrink, A. Jager-Waldau, P. Helm

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Article in proceedings › Research › peer-review

Abstract

The study of light trapping in amorphous, microcrystalline and micromorph thin-film Si solar cells is an important and active field of investigation. It has been demonstrated that the use of a rough Ag back-reflector lead to an increase of short circuit current but also to losses through the creation of surface plasmon polaritons. Here, we use transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques to study the grain structure of a Ag thin-film that was sputtered on top of 2-μm-thick rough ZnO layer - defects, such as twin-boundaries have been observed. A smoothing of the top Ag surface was also observed after ex-situ annealing. Electron energy-loss spectroscopy with a monochromatic beam was used to measure the surface plasmon resonance with nm spatial resolution. 1 eV and 3 eV Ag surface plasmon resonances have been observed on as-grown layers. Such measurements provide valuable information about the origin of optical absorption losses previously measured in Ag back-reflector of thin-film Si solar cells.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	EU PVSEC Proceedings
Publication date	2011
Pages	2554-2557
ISBN (Print)	3-936338-27-2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.4229/26thEUPVSEC2011-3AV.1.38
Publication status	Published - 2011
Event	26th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition - Congress Center Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany Duration: 5 Sept 2011 → 9 Sept 2011 http://www.photovoltaic-conference.com/previous-eupvsec/26th-eu-pvsec.html

Conference

Conference	26th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition
Location	Congress Center Hamburg
Country/Territory	Germany
City	Hamburg
Period	05/09/2011 → 09/09/2011
Internet address	http://www.photovoltaic-conference.com/previous-eupvsec/26th-eu-pvsec.html

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10.4229/26thEUPVSEC2011-3AV.1.38

http://www.eupvsec-proceedings.com/proceedings?char=T&paper=10878

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Duchamp, M., Söderström, K., Jeangros, Q., Boothroyd, C., Kovacs, A., Kasama, T., Haug, F. .-J., Ballif, C., Dunin-Borkowski, R. E., Ossenbrink, H., Jager-Waldau, A., & Helm, P. (2011). Transmission Electron Microscopy of the Textured Silver Back Reflector of a Thin Film Silicon Solar Cell: From Crystallography to Optical Absorption. In EU PVSEC Proceedings (pp. 2554-2557) https://doi.org/10.4229/26thEUPVSEC2011-3AV.1.38

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title = "Transmission Electron Microscopy of the Textured Silver Back Reflector of a Thin Film Silicon Solar Cell: From Crystallography to Optical Absorption",

abstract = "The study of light trapping in amorphous, microcrystalline and micromorph thin-film Si solar cells is an important and active field of investigation. It has been demonstrated that the use of a rough Ag back-reflector lead to an increase of short circuit current but also to losses through the creation of surface plasmon polaritons. Here, we use transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques to study the grain structure of a Ag thin-film that was sputtered on top of 2-μm-thick rough ZnO layer - defects, such as twin-boundaries have been observed. A smoothing of the top Ag surface was also observed after ex-situ annealing. Electron energy-loss spectroscopy with a monochromatic beam was used to measure the surface plasmon resonance with nm spatial resolution. 1 eV and 3 eV Ag surface plasmon resonances have been observed on as-grown layers. Such measurements provide valuable information about the origin of optical absorption losses previously measured in Ag back-reflector of thin-film Si solar cells.",

author = "Martial Duchamp and K. S{\"o}derstr{\"o}m and Q. Jeangros and Chris Boothroyd and A. Kovacs and Takeshi Kasama and F.-J Haug and C. Ballif and Dunin-Borkowski, {Rafal E.} and H. Ossenbrink and A. Jager-Waldau and P. Helm",

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doi = "10.4229/26thEUPVSEC2011-3AV.1.38",

language = "English",

isbn = "3-936338-27-2",

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booktitle = "EU PVSEC Proceedings",

note = "26th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition ; Conference date: 05-09-2011 Through 09-09-2011",

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Duchamp, M, Söderström, K, Jeangros, Q, Boothroyd, C, Kovacs, A, Kasama, T, Haug, F-J, Ballif, C, Dunin-Borkowski, RE, Ossenbrink, H, Jager-Waldau, A & Helm, P 2011, Transmission Electron Microscopy of the Textured Silver Back Reflector of a Thin Film Silicon Solar Cell: From Crystallography to Optical Absorption. in EU PVSEC Proceedings. pp. 2554-2557, 26th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition, Hamburg, Germany, 05/09/2011. https://doi.org/10.4229/26thEUPVSEC2011-3AV.1.38

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T1 - Transmission Electron Microscopy of the Textured Silver Back Reflector of a Thin Film Silicon Solar Cell: From Crystallography to Optical Absorption

AU - Duchamp, Martial

AU - Söderström, K.

AU - Jeangros, Q.

AU - Boothroyd, Chris

AU - Kovacs, A.

AU - Kasama, Takeshi

AU - Haug, F.-J

AU - Ballif, C.

AU - Dunin-Borkowski, Rafal E.

AU - Ossenbrink, H.

AU - Jager-Waldau, A.

AU - Helm, P.

PY - 2011

Y1 - 2011

N2 - The study of light trapping in amorphous, microcrystalline and micromorph thin-film Si solar cells is an important and active field of investigation. It has been demonstrated that the use of a rough Ag back-reflector lead to an increase of short circuit current but also to losses through the creation of surface plasmon polaritons. Here, we use transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques to study the grain structure of a Ag thin-film that was sputtered on top of 2-μm-thick rough ZnO layer - defects, such as twin-boundaries have been observed. A smoothing of the top Ag surface was also observed after ex-situ annealing. Electron energy-loss spectroscopy with a monochromatic beam was used to measure the surface plasmon resonance with nm spatial resolution. 1 eV and 3 eV Ag surface plasmon resonances have been observed on as-grown layers. Such measurements provide valuable information about the origin of optical absorption losses previously measured in Ag back-reflector of thin-film Si solar cells.

AB - The study of light trapping in amorphous, microcrystalline and micromorph thin-film Si solar cells is an important and active field of investigation. It has been demonstrated that the use of a rough Ag back-reflector lead to an increase of short circuit current but also to losses through the creation of surface plasmon polaritons. Here, we use transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques to study the grain structure of a Ag thin-film that was sputtered on top of 2-μm-thick rough ZnO layer - defects, such as twin-boundaries have been observed. A smoothing of the top Ag surface was also observed after ex-situ annealing. Electron energy-loss spectroscopy with a monochromatic beam was used to measure the surface plasmon resonance with nm spatial resolution. 1 eV and 3 eV Ag surface plasmon resonances have been observed on as-grown layers. Such measurements provide valuable information about the origin of optical absorption losses previously measured in Ag back-reflector of thin-film Si solar cells.

U2 - 10.4229/26thEUPVSEC2011-3AV.1.38

DO - 10.4229/26thEUPVSEC2011-3AV.1.38

M3 - Article in proceedings

SN - 3-936338-27-2

SP - 2554

EP - 2557

BT - EU PVSEC Proceedings

T2 - 26th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition

Y2 - 5 September 2011 through 9 September 2011

ER -

Transmission Electron Microscopy of the Textured Silver Back Reflector of a Thin Film Silicon Solar Cell: From Crystallography to Optical Absorption

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