Recombination and transport in microcrystalline pin solar cells studied with pulsed electrically detected magnetic resonance

Abstract An analysis of spin-dependent processes in microcrystalline silicon (μc-Si:H) pin solar cells is presented using pulsed electrically detected magnetic resonance (pEDMR). In this first study it is shown that by modulating the morphology of the n-type contact layer from amorphous to microcrystalline, pronounced changes in the pEDMR spectra may be observed. Due to the fact that pEDMR allows a deconvolution of the spin-dependent signals in time as well as in magnetic field domain, we were able to significantly reduce the complexity of the spectra compared to conventional EDMR. In the samples containing amorphous n-type contact layers we found signals from shallow localized conduction band tail states and phosphorous donor states. Upon replacement of this layer by its microcrystalline counterpart both signals disappeared. Possible spin-dependent transport mechanisms involving paramagnetic states in the various layers are discussed in view of sign and time evolution of the associated pEDMR signals.