In this paper the e-beam evaporation of silicon thin films on a variety of textured glass is discussed. Three different textures, (i) bead coating, (ii) abrasion etch and (iii) a new low profil etch are investigated. The micro-structural properties of the silicon films are studied by scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM/TEM). Due to the directional deposition of Silicon in e-beam evaporation in comparison to conformal Si growth in PECVD, issues with textured substrates are identified. At steep texture angles, columnar and oxygen-rich growth of the silicon is observed. LIT shunt localization in processed mini-modules is performed. It is shown that HF etching of these oxygen-rich regions during solar cell processing together with subsequent metallization can lead to shunts in the back contact of the devices. This problem can be avoided using a smooth texture with gentle angles. The low profil etch texture is shown to be compatible with e-beam evaporation of silicon thin films.
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