Abstract
To develop high efficiency crystalline solar cells, the $SiN_x$ film for surface passivation and anti-reflection coating is very important and it is generally deposited by PECVD. In this paper, the $SiN_x$ film deposited by Hot-Wire chemical vapor deposition(HWCVD) that has no plasma damage was studied. First, to optimize the $SiN_x$ film deposition process, $SiH_4$ gas rate and substrate temperature were varied and then refractive index and thickness were measured. When $SiH_4$ gas rate was 22sccm and substrate temperature was $100^{\circ}C$, refractive index was 1.94 and higher than that of other process conditions. Second, the lifetime was measured by varying the annealing temperature and time. The annealing process was made from 5 to 30 minutes at $300{\sim}500^{\circ}C$. When the annealing temperature was $100^{\circ}C$ and time was 10minute, the lifetime was the highest. The lifetime of annealed samples was also measured after the firing process at $975^{\circ}C$. Although the lifetime of all samples was decreased by firing process, the lifetime of annealed samples before the firing process was higher than that of fired samples only. Finally, the characteristics of solar cells with HWCVD $SiN_x$ film were measured.
