Enhancing the Optoelectronic and Photovoltaic Performance of Thermally Evaporated TeSn/c-Si Heterojunctions via Thermal Annealing Management

Authors

  • Roaa R. Ramadhan Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, College of Medicine, University of Diyala, Diyala, 32001, Iraq
  • Zahraa J. Hamakhan Department of Physics, College of Science, University of Diyala, Diyala, 32001, Iraq
  • Dalal Maseer Naser General Directorate of Education in Dhi Qar Governorate, Nasiriyah, 64001, Iraq
  • F. Y. Mohammed Department of Physics, College of Science, University of Diyala, Diyala, 32001, Iraq

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26554/ijmr.20264399

Keywords:

TeSn Thin Films, Heterojunction, Thermal Annealing, Activation Energy, Built-in Potential, Photovoltaic Performance

Abstract

This study used high-vacuum (10⁻⁵ Torr) thermal evaporation to fabricate a hybrid tellurium-tin/crystalline silicon (TeSn/c-Si) junction. The junction was deposited at room temperature, 323 K, and 348 K to evaluate its structural and electrical properties. Thin TeSn layers (500 nm thick) and the resulting diodes underwent thermal annealing. DC conductivity testing revealed a double-transfer mechanism governed by the Arrhenius equation. A significant increase in the activation energies Ea1 and Ea2 was observed following thermal annealing at 348 K, reaching 0.44 eV and 0.65 eV, respectively. This indicates an improvement in the layer’s crystallinity due to annealing and a decrease in the density of local states. Capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurements confirm the formation of a sharp heterojunction interface, exhibiting a significant improvement in the internal potential (Vbi) from 1.24 eV (at room temperature) to 1.7 eV (at 348 K) due to the passivation of the interface states. Furthermore, the current-voltage (I-V) characteristics in darkness show thermal emission behavior under forward bias and a gradual breakdown under reverse bias. Under illumination, the heterojunction exhibited a significant improvement in photovoltaic performance, with a peak short-circuit current density (Jsc) of 3.1 × 10⁻¹ mA/cm² after annealing at 348 K. These results highlight the crucial role of post-deposition thermal tuning in reducing recombination centers and enhancing the overall efficiency of chalcogenide-based solar harvesting devices.

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Published

2026-06-10

Issue

Vol. 4 No. 3 (2026): Future Issue: November

Section

Articles