METHOD OF USING SILICON ALLOY LAYERS IN THIN-FILM PHOTOVOLTAICS

摘要

A method for making thin-film photovoltaic devices is provided. The devices include a doped microcrystalline semiconductor layer having a high band gap core formed by adding a band gap enhancing element. Crystallinity of the layer is achieved by forming an amorphous doped semiconductor layer, converting the amorphous doped semiconductor layer to a microcrystalline layer using a plasma treatment, and using the microcrystalline layer as a seed layer for forming the rest of the layer. The doped layer formed has a microcrystalline morphology, a high band gap inner portion, and a low band gap outer portion.