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Refined DLTS Exposes Dual Defects Behind Silicon Heterojunction Solar Losses

Capturing the full transient response isolates slow and fast defect components linked to hydrogen dynamics.

Overview

  • The KIER–CBNU team reports the findings in Advanced Functional Materials, confirming two distinct defect types in SHJ cells.
  • The refined Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy method resolves a previously conflated signal into deep-level (slow) and shallow-level (fast) components.
  • Separating the components enabled measurement of each defect’s energy level, position within the device, and atomic bonding configuration.
  • Experiments show defect bonding configurations change with fabrication and operating conditions, with hydrogen driving these transformations.
  • Researchers say the approach can guide targeted passivation, accelerate SHJ and tandem cell development, and be adapted to other semiconductor and display devices.