Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 202500510 |
| Journal | Solar RRL |
| Volume | 9 |
| Issue number | 18 |
| Publication status | Published - 23 Sept 2025 |
Abstract
Ultraviolet (UV)-induced degradation is a critical issue for modern photovoltaic (PV) technologies such as passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC), tunnel oxide-passivated contact (TOPCon), and heterojunction (HJT) cell concepts. This study compares the stability against UV radiation of AlOx/SiNy stacks on mini-modules with p-type back junction solar cells. Our cells have a nondiffused textured front surface passivated with an AlOx/SiNy layer stack and feature passivating polysilicon on oxide rear contacts. We compare plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) and plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) processes for the deposition of AlOx layers using the same tube-type deposition system. After a UV dose of 146 kWh/m2 using broadband UV lamps, modules with PECVD-AlOx exhibit an efficiency loss of up to 27% while those with PEALD-AlOx show minimal degradation of 2.5%. This comparison proves that the superior UV stability is achieved with the tube-type PEALD technique. Our findings thus show how UV stability can be improved without extra equipment dedicated solely to depositing ALD-AlOx and without UV absorbing or down converting encapsulants.
Keywords
- aluminum oxide, plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD), plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), solar modules, UV-induced degradation
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Materials Science(all)
- Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
- Physics and Astronomy(all)
- Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
- Energy(all)
- Energy Engineering and Power Technology
- Engineering(all)
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Sustainable Development Goals
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In: Solar RRL, Vol. 9, No. 18, 202500510, 23.09.2025.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - UV Stability of Aluminum Oxide Fabricated with Tube-Type Plasma-Enhanced Atomic Layer Deposition
AU - Hollemann, Christina
AU - Min, Byungsul
AU - Nguyen, Viet X.
AU - Pernau, Thomas
AU - Seiffert, Daniela
AU - Haverkamp, Helge
AU - Brendel, Rolf
AU - Schulte-Huxel, Henning
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2025 Wiley-VCH GmbH.
PY - 2025/9/23
Y1 - 2025/9/23
N2 - Ultraviolet (UV)-induced degradation is a critical issue for modern photovoltaic (PV) technologies such as passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC), tunnel oxide-passivated contact (TOPCon), and heterojunction (HJT) cell concepts. This study compares the stability against UV radiation of AlOx/SiNy stacks on mini-modules with p-type back junction solar cells. Our cells have a nondiffused textured front surface passivated with an AlOx/SiNy layer stack and feature passivating polysilicon on oxide rear contacts. We compare plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) and plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) processes for the deposition of AlOx layers using the same tube-type deposition system. After a UV dose of 146 kWh/m2 using broadband UV lamps, modules with PECVD-AlOx exhibit an efficiency loss of up to 27% while those with PEALD-AlOx show minimal degradation of 2.5%. This comparison proves that the superior UV stability is achieved with the tube-type PEALD technique. Our findings thus show how UV stability can be improved without extra equipment dedicated solely to depositing ALD-AlOx and without UV absorbing or down converting encapsulants.
AB - Ultraviolet (UV)-induced degradation is a critical issue for modern photovoltaic (PV) technologies such as passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC), tunnel oxide-passivated contact (TOPCon), and heterojunction (HJT) cell concepts. This study compares the stability against UV radiation of AlOx/SiNy stacks on mini-modules with p-type back junction solar cells. Our cells have a nondiffused textured front surface passivated with an AlOx/SiNy layer stack and feature passivating polysilicon on oxide rear contacts. We compare plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) and plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) processes for the deposition of AlOx layers using the same tube-type deposition system. After a UV dose of 146 kWh/m2 using broadband UV lamps, modules with PECVD-AlOx exhibit an efficiency loss of up to 27% while those with PEALD-AlOx show minimal degradation of 2.5%. This comparison proves that the superior UV stability is achieved with the tube-type PEALD technique. Our findings thus show how UV stability can be improved without extra equipment dedicated solely to depositing ALD-AlOx and without UV absorbing or down converting encapsulants.
KW - aluminum oxide
KW - plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD)
KW - plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD)
KW - solar modules
KW - UV-induced degradation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105014286087&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/solr.202500510
DO - 10.1002/solr.202500510
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:105014286087
VL - 9
JO - Solar RRL
JF - Solar RRL
SN - 2367-198X
IS - 18
M1 - 202500510
ER -