New approach to capacitance spectroscopy for interface characterization of a-Si:H/c-Si heterojunctions

A new technique for characterization of interface defects in a-Si:H/c-Si heterostructure solar cells from capacitance spectroscopy measurements under illumination at forward bias close to open-circuit voltage is described. The proposed method allows to significantly increase the sensitivity to interface defects compared to conventional capacitance measurements at zero or small negative bias. Results of numerical modelling as well as experimental data obtained on n-type a-Si:H/p-type c-Si heterojunctions are presented. The sensitivity of the proposed method to interface states and the influence of various parameters like band mismatch, density of interface defects, recombination velocity at the back contact are discussed. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.