A salient characteristic of solar cells is their ability to subject photo-generated electrons and holes to pathways of asymmetrical conductivity - assisting them toward their respective contacts. All commercially available crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cells achieve this by making use of doping in either near-surface regions or overlying silicon-based films. Despite being commonplace, this approach is hindered by several optoelectronic losses and technological limitations specific to doped silicon. Our previous work on low/high work function dopant-free contacts shows the potential for the replacement of doped-silicon contacts with alternative materials. Here we will focus on the development of passivating and/or carrier-selective layers based on the interface charge transfer by Lewis acid-base interaction.
Project end date: 08/09/20