Fabrication and properties of flexible a-Si:H solar cells with textured Al-Si alloy electrodes

A back-reflective textured electrode was made by sputtering both pure Al and Al-Si alloy materials. The electrode surface morphology and the light trapping effects related to the a-Si:H based solar cell were studied. The optical properties of the back reflective textured electrodes were examined from diffuse reflectance. The diffuse reflectance could be changed within the range 5% to 70% when the Al-Si alloy material was used. The surface morphology of the textured electrodes was also changed by the use of Al-Si alloy. The characteristics of the solar cell were investigated in respect of the relation between surface morphology of the textured electrode and the enhancement effect of the collection efficiency. Fine surface morphology was obtained when the Al-Si alloy material was used and the short circuit current of the solar cell was increased effectively by the use of the textured electrode.