Band edge discontinuities between microcrystalline and amorphous hydrogenated silicon alloys and their effect on solar cell performance

Abstract
We have used internal photoemission measurements to determine the electrical band gap of microcrystalline p-type layers used in a-Si:H alloy solar cells, and the band edge discontinuities of the conduction and the valence bands between μc-Si:H and a-Si:H alloys. The band gap ofμc-Si:H is found to be around 1.6 eV, and the discontinuities at the conduction and the valence band edges are −0.02 and 0.26 eV, respectively. Use of these parameters in the numerical simulation of single-junction a-Si:H alloy solar cells is found to accurately predict the experimental results of solar cell performance.