Study of buffer layer design in single junction solar cells

Two different approaches to reduce the influence of the solar cell interface have been explored using the authors' AMPS (Analysis of Microelectronics and Photonic Structures) computer program. The two particular approaches they considered both focus on shaping the field at the p layer/absorber interface between a-SiC:H and a-Si:H to enhance p-i-n solar cell performance and in both cases they assume this can be done without introducing any new defects at the interface. The two approaches examined are: (1) the bandgap grading buffer layer; and (2) the doped buffer layer.