In situ photoluminescence system for studying surface passivation in silicon heterojunction solar cells

An in situ photoluminescence (PL) system for studying the influence of process parameters on surface passivation of crystalline Si wafers during the PECVD growth of a-Si:H and its alloys is described. By monitoring the intensity of silicon interband PL, information on surface passivation can be correlated directly with processing conditions. The sensitivity of in situ PL in assessing of surface passivation is compared to that of lifetime measurements taken by a Sinton WCT-100 tester. This work demonstrates that in situ PL is a promising approach for obtaining fundamental information on surface passivation processes that have technological importance for the development of silicon heterojunction solar cells.