Reduction of optical loss in hydrogenated amorphous silicon/crystalline silicon heterojunction solar cells by high-mobility hydrogen-doped In2O3 transparent conductive oxide

Hydrogen-doped In2O3 (10:H) films with high electron mobility and improved near-infrared transparency have been applied as a transparent conducting oxide (TCO) electrode in hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H)/crystalline silicon heterojunction Solar cells. The incorporation of 10:H, instead of conventional Sn-doped In2O3, improved the short-circuit current density (J(sc)) and the resulting conversion efficiency. Detailed optical analysis of the solar cells revealed that the improvement in J(sc) is due to the reduction of reflection loss at the TCO/a-Si:H interface and less optical absorption in the TCO layer. (C) 2008 The Japan Society of Applied Physics.