Micromorph tandem solar cells grown at high rate with in-situ intermediate reflector in industrial KAI PECVD reactors

We report on the latest results of tandem micromorph (a-Si:H/μc-Si:H) silicon solar cells fabricated in commercial Oerlikon Solar KAI-S and KAI-M PECVD reactors. First developments of in-situ silicon oxide based intermediate reflector (SOIR) in KAI reactors are as well presented. Under low depletion conditions (silane concentration < 10%) our best micromorph solar cells achieve initial efficiencies up to 10.6% for a cell size > 1cm2, with a deposition rate of 0.55 nm/s for microcrystalline silicon and an ex-situ silicon oxide-based intermediate reflector (SOIR). Under high depletion conditions, the growth rate could be raised up to 1.2 nm/s, in a modified KAI-M reactor, and the highest initial efficiency reached so far is 9.7% with in-situ SOIR and top cell thickness of ∼ 230 nm. Promising micromorph solar cells are thus produced under conditions that are highly favorable to low-cost fabrication of tandem modules at an industrial level.