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Institute Silicon Photovoltaics

Device Structures


We develop and characterize silicon based heterostructures for photovoltaic applications.
Our main research focus is the development of amorphous/crystalline silicon hetero solar cells, which are fabricated exclusively at low temperature. The excellent passiviation of the silicon surface by amorphous silicon is the major advantage of those solar cells.


enlarged view

Fig. 1 Schematics of an amorphous/crystalline heterojunction solar cell on a textured silicon wafer


Another research focus is the hetero contact between silicon and an organic film. The aim is to passivate the silicon surface via the organic film and at the same time to enable the variation of the band offset and the band bending in the silicon wafer through the introduced dipoles.

enlarged view

Fig. 3  Passivation of a silicon surface with hydrogen (H-) and organic molecules. The choice of molecules with different charge state/dipoles allows engineering of the silicon band bending (red curve).