Self-Assembled Superacid Monolayers on c-Si Provide Exceptional Surface Passivation and Low Contact Resistivity

Date

2025-01-01

Author

Ghasemi, Milad
Maden, Cem
Bektaş, Gence
Tsoi, Konstantin
Günbaş, Emrullah Görkem
Toffoli, Hande
Yerci, Selçuk

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Minimizing surface recombination is crucial for enhancing silicon solar cell passivation. Conventional dielectric materials require vacuum deposition and high-temperature annealing, increasing complexity and cost. This study explores Nonafluorobutane sulfonic acid (C4HF9O3S), a superacid, as a passivation layer for silicon solar cells. Unlike traditional dielectrics, it eliminates the need for vacuum processing or high-temperature annealing while offering excellent passivation. Results show that the superacid forms a self-assembled monolayer on silicon, improving passivation and enabling efficient charge extraction. N-type silicon coated with the superacid achieves an effective lifetime exceeding 8.5 ms, and when combined with Al, it forms an interface with a contact resistivity as low as 5.75 mΩ.cm2. Characterization and density functional theory (DFT) calculations confirm both chemical and field-effect passivation mechanisms, validating the monolayer's superior performance. When integrated into a full solar cell, the Nona layer enhances device performance, yielding a 3.05% absolute efficiency gain compared to the reference cell without Nona. This study introduces a cost-effective alternative to conventional dielectrics, simplifying processing while reducing production costs and CO2 emissions, paving the way for sustainable, high-efficiency silicon solar cells.

Subject Keywords

contact resistivity, density functional theory, nonafluorobutane sulfonic acid, solar cell, superacid, surface passivation

URI

https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=105008739623&origin=inward
https://hdl.handle.net/11511/115387

Collections

Department of Physics, Article