Quasi three-dimensional simulation for thin film polycrystalline silicon solar cells

Optimum designs of cell configuration and polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) grown by atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD) have been demonstrated. In order to realize high-efficiency thin film poly-Si solar cells, a novel method of quasi three-dimensional simulation using a cylindrical coordinate system was carried out. Grain boundaries interface recombination velocity based on the simulation should be less than 10/sup 3/ cm/s. Even at a relatively short diffusion length of L/sub n/=50 /spl mu/m, high efficiency larger than 16% will be expected at a thickness of 5-20 /spl mu/m. Poly-Si films with columnar diameter of around 5 /spl mu/m were successfully deposited on foreign substrates with APCVD at a high growth rate of 0.8 /spl mu/m/min.