ELECTROSTATIC AND OTHER EFFECTS IN INVERSION LAYER MIS SOLAR CELLS.

Abstract

Stability studies of high performance inversion layer silicon MIS solar cells show that short term variations in the inversion layer charge can occur due to changing electrostatic conditions associated with the antireflection coating. This paper describes experiments aimed at clarifying the mechanisms involved. Although cells of reasonable efficiency have been made with relatively coarse grid spacings (12/cm), it is concluded that much finer spacings are required to ensure cell stability. A second part of this study is concerned with the physical structure, chemistry, and stability of the MIS contact itself, which is of fundamental interest not only in inversion layer MIS cells, but also in transparent metal MIS cells, MINP cells and other MIS-based devices.