Creation of Low-Ohmic Copper Contacts on the Surface of Silicon Crystals for Application in Photocells
Аннотация
In this work, we study the phase composition, structure, and surface relief (roughness) of the sample obtained by depositing a thin copper layer on the surface of a silicon polycrystal by using the magnetron ion sputtering source operating on direct current. The study of the applied copper layer was carried out by the methods of X-ray phase analysis, scanning electron, and atomic force microscopy. It was shown that the creation of an ohmic contact on the silicon surface with a copper thin layer due to the high conductivity of copper and with a thickness of more than 3.0–3.5 microns, reduces the electrical resistance of the Cu–Si contact. In this case, the structure and morphology of the silicon surface do not change, and the deposited copper layer is thin and less rough, which will make it possible to obtain thin low-resistance copper contact layers also on the surface of silicon photocells in order to reduce current losses and, accordingly, increase their efficiency.