Atomic layer deposition for high-efficiency crystalline silicon solar cells

This chapter illustrates that Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) is in fact an enabler of novel high-efficiency Si solar cells, owing to its merits such as a high material quality, precise thickness control, and the ability to prepare film stacks in a well-controlled way. It gives an overview of the field of Si solar cells, where for each concept. The chapter discusses the role of ALD in preparing passivation layers for homojunction Si solar cells. Special attention is given to the physics of surface passivation, the surface passivation by ALD Al2O3, ALD as a high-throughput deposition technique in the photovoltaic (PV) industry, and recent developments in the field of passivation layers prepared by ALD. The chapter focuses on transparent conductive oxides (TCOs) prepared by ALD for use in heterojunction Si solar cells, such as doped ZnO and In2O3 films.