Diamond and Related Materials 11 (2002) 13291331

Optical, anti-reflective and protective properties of diamond and diamondlike carbon films
T.V. Semikina*, A.N. Shmyryeva
National Technical University of Ukraine KPI, Pr. Poheda 37, Faculty of Electronics, Microelectronics Dept., Corpus 12, 252056 Kiev, Ukraine

Abstract For the first time the degradation results of solar cells parameters with diamond-like carbon films after high-energy proton and electron flux exposure like space condition are represented. It is obtained that DLC films prepared by the CDD method at bias voltage y300 V and nitrogen concentration 1015% in working gas provide better blooming and protective cover for solar cells under space condition. 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Diamond-like carbon; Nitrogen; Optoelectronic properties; Application

1. Introduction The aim of presenting this work was that to choose from two deposition methods, those films which deposit on solar cells which will allow to decrease characteristic degradation considerably under high energy electron and proton flux action. For execution of this problem we investigated the optical properties of diamond films (DF) and diamond-like carbon films (DLC), and determine technology parameters for directional regulation of these films optical properties under a change of technology regimes. 2. Experimental The diamond films prepared by laser sputtering w1x of a carbon target have a polycrystalline structure and are 200 nm thick. This gave rise to high- and lowresistivity films. The spectrum of absorption and transmission of these films were investigated. These films have low absorption coefficients (Fig. 1). The reflection coefficient of high-resistivity films is higher than for low-resistivity films. From the coefficient absorption dependence on energy (Taut plot, Fig. 2), we calculated the optical band gap (Eopt) of DF that is 1.21.5 eV for low-resistivity and 2.22.5 eV for high-resistivity films. The result is that Eopts2.5 eV serves as a reference for
*Corresponding author. E-mail address: semikina@ee.ntu-kpi.kiev.ua (T.V. Semikina).

diamond films with an sp3 stationary concentration of approximately 85%. The refraction coefficient was 2.2. We investigated the diamond-like carbon films (DLC) deposited by the chemical vapour deposition method at bias voltage of y100 V (DLCsoft) w2,3x and y300 V (DLChard) w47x. The prepared films have an amorphous structure and are 300500 nm thick. The second technology factor of change DLC properties was the alteration of nitrogen concentration in the working gas. It was obtained that for DLCsoft the Eopt and refraction coefficient n change from 3.2 to 1.9 eV and from 1.6 to 2.2 accordingly under nitrogen content alteration from 25 to 1520% in working gas. 3. Results Under a subsequent nitrogen concentration rise to 45%, Eopt changes from 1.9 to 3.84.0 eV and n from 1.6 to 2.1. For DLChard films Eopt does not exceed 2.0 eV, ns2.1. At a nitrogen input of approximately 10 15% relative to the working gas (CH4, H2 and N2) it was possible to achieve films with a demanding refraction coefficient nsl.9. Therefore, we can regularise optical film properties via alteration of nitrogen concentration in working gas. The DF and DLC films were deposited on industrial silicon solar cells for investigation of reflection and protective properties of these films under Earth (AM1.5, power radiation 1000 W y m2, Ts20 8C condition for

0925-9635/02/$ - see front matter 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. PII: S 0 9 2 5 - 9 6 3 5 0 1 . 0 0 6 3 8 - 0

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T.V. Semikina, A.N. Shmyryeva / Diamond and Related Materials 11 (2002) 13291331

Fig. 1. Absorption coefficient of DF with different resistivity dependence on wave number.

calculated efficiency) and space (AM0, power radiations1360 W y m2, Ts40 8C) condition. The reflection coefficient of solar cells with DF was decreased more than 3.5 times in the range 460600 nm (Fig. 3) in comparison with solar cells without cover. Due to the blooming effect the efficiency of the solar cell was increased by 0.8%. Solar cells with DLCsoft under Earth condition of operation demonstrated such good results: Uocs627 mV; Iscs39.4 mA y cm2; FFs0.79; and efficiency hs19.51%. The DLCsoft deposition gave an increase in short-circuit current density of 42% and open-circuit voltage of 12%. For solar cells with DLChard the reflection was decreased to 0.1%, and efficiency increased by 1.31.4 times due to Isc increasing by 1.41.5 times (Fig. 4). Solar cells with a DLChard cover had such parameters under Earth condition operation: Uocs625 mV; Iscs40 mA y cm2; FFs 0.792; and hs19.8% (space condition: hs15.8%). For the first time, the experiments were carried out at high energy electron flux with 10-MeV energy exposure (equipment: microtron M30); the combined action of low energy electrons and protons, Es170 keV with different equivalent state of orbit space (670, 8000 and

Fig. 3. Short-circuit current dependence on wavelength of solar cell without cover (a), with DF low-resistivity (b) and with DF high resistivity (c).

36 000 km); proton action at Es20 MeV. These experiments were conducted in the nuclear equipment. We obtained a short-circuit current decrease under electron action (Fig. 5). The results demonstrated that solar cells with DLChard cover had the least degradation in comparison with ZnS, DF and DLCsoft covers, and DLCsoft cover had the worst results. It can be explained that structure of DLCsoft film is more like a polymeric-like compound than diamond-like. DLCsoft film does not have hardness and adhesion that is proper for DLChard. The short-circuit current had the biggest relative alteration: with DLChard on 3132%; with ZnS on 3740%; DF on 3847%; and with DLCsoft on 5254%. The open-circuit voltage relative change was in the range 8 11%, and full factor change was 1416% for all type covers. At high-energy electron flux exposure, the main degradation factors were lifetime minority carriers decreasing in base and cover transmission deterioration.

Fig. 2. Taut plot of DF with different resistivities.

Fig. 4. Current density dependence on wavelength of solar cell without cover (2) and with DLChard (1).

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At exposure proton flux increasing more than 1013 cmy2, the efficiency of solar cells dropped sharply by 8085% on average. The high energy electron and proton action led to large structural change and higher defect formation and consequently, the density of recombination centres increased followed by a life time drop in the solar cell with DLCsoft in comparison with amorphous DLChard films that have lower structural disordering. 4. Conclusion So, from our results we propose to use the DLChard films prepared by the chemical vapour deposition method at bias voltage y300 V and nitrogen concentration 15% in working gas, for blooming and as a protective cover for the solar cell, which allows to decrease the degradation change by 1015 times in comparison with the solar cell without cover (only with quartz glass) under space condition operation. References
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Fig. 5. Load currentvoltage characteristics (a) solar cell and dependence power of solar cells on voltage (b) under electron action with energy of 1 MeV at different electron fluxes: 1s1015; 2s1014; 3s 1013; and 4s1012 cmy2.