GOALI: Efficiency Enhancement of Solar Cells Through Electronic Structure Design

PI：Rudiger SchlafProposal编号：1133239智慧价值该奖项的总体目标是精确设计太阳能电池接口，通过原子层沉积(ALD)工艺提高太阳能转换效率。这项拟议的研究具有开发可扩展的ALD偶极层涂层的制造工艺的潜力，这种工艺可以精确地定制太阳能电池结构的电子特性，以提高太阳能转换效率。这种方法将有助于进一步开发用于大面积涂层的ALD方法，这是光伏(PV)行业所必需的。在太阳能光伏材料的制备过程中，将使用ALD在半导体界面生长具有可控原子层厚度和均匀性的共形金属氧化物偶极层，以调整能带对齐，以优化电荷转移或阻挡。这一过程有可能可控地提高光电流和电池电压。光电子能谱(PES)和逆光电子能谱(IPES)将被用来原位表征每个沉积的偶极层，以便在ALD过程中跟踪价带和导带密度的演变。这些测量将给出ALD偶极层和界面在生长过程中电子结构演变的详细图景。一旦偶极子层能够可靠地生长，插入偶极子的太阳电池结构将被研究，其性能变化将与电子结构修改相关联。更广泛的影响这项目标研究是南佛罗里达大学(USF)和Novellus以及主要的半导体制造设备供应商之间的合作努力。USF提供半导体光伏接口的电子结构和表面科学方面的专业知识，而工业合作伙伴Novellus提供ALD方面的专业知识。这项合作将侧重于拟议的研究，以便1)工业和制造业相关材料系统将得到调查，2)根据该赠款开发的工艺和知识产权(IP)将在工业生产环境中找到应用。除了对光伏行业的潜在好处外，拟议的活动还将在工业背景下培训学生。具体来说，参与的研究生将以暑期实习生的身份访问Novellus，两名本科生预计将通过REU补充材料参与拟议的研究。

PI: Rudiger SchlafProposal Number: 1133239Intellectual MeritThe overall goal of this GOALI award is to precisely engineer solar cell interfaces for improved solar energy conversion efficiency through atomic layer deposition (ALD) processes. The proposed research has the potential develop scalable manufacturing processes for ALD dipole layer coatings that precisely tailor the electronic properties of solar cell structures for increased solar energy conversion. This approach will facilitate further development of ALD methodologies for large-area coatings, which are necessary for the photovoltaics (PV) industry. During the fabrication of solar PV materials, ALD will be used to grow conformal metal oxide dipole layers at semiconductor interfaces with controlled atomic layer thickness and uniformity, in order to adjust the band alignment for optimized charge transfer or blocking. This process has the potential to controllably enhance the photocurrent and cell voltage. Photoemission spectroscopy (PES) and inverse photoemission spectroscopy (IPES) will be used to characterize each deposited dipole layer in situ, so that the evolution of both the valence and conduction bands density of states can be followed during the ALD process. These measurements will yield a detailed picture of the evolution of the electronic structure of ALD dipole layers and interfaces as they are grown. Once the dipole layers can be grown reliably, solar cell structures with inserted dipoles will be investigated, and the performance changes will be correlated with electronic structure modification. Broader ImpactsThis GOALI research is a collaborative effort between the University of South Florida (USF) and Novellus, and major semiconductor fabrication equipment supplier. USF offers expertise in electronic structure and surface science of semiconductor PV interfaces, whereas the industrial partner Novellus offers expertise in ALD. This collaboration will focus the proposed research so that 1) industry and manufacturing relevant materials systems will be investigated, and 2) processes and intellectual property (IP) developed under this grant will find applications in industrial production settings. In addition to the potential benefits to the photovoltaics industry, the proposed activities will also train students in an industrial context. Specifically, participating graduate students will visit Novellus as summer interns, and two undergraduate students are expected to participate in the proposed research through REU supplements.