Highly stabilized protocrystalline silicon multilayer solar cell using a silicon–carbide double p-layer structure

We have investigated a pin-type protocrystalline silicon (pc-Si:H) multilayer solar cell fabricated by employing a silicon–carbide double p-layer structure and a layered structure of multilayer processing through alternate H2 dilution. The initial conversion efficiency is drastically improved by incorporating a hydrogen-diluted boron-doped amorphous silicon–carbide (p–a-SiC:H) buffer layer at the p/i interface. Remarkably, the pc-Si:H multilayer absorber exhibits superior light-induced metastability to a conventional amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) absorber. Therefore, we have successfully achieved a highly stabilized efficiency of 9.0% without using any back reflector.