Influence of the Substrate Bias voltage on the optical and structural properties of Zirconium Nitride (ZrN) Films as reflecting back contact in solar cells

We have studied optical, chemical and structural properties of Zirconium Nitride thin films as reflecting back contact in solar cell application by reactive sputtering method with different applied bias voltage. The properties of back contact reflector are higher reflection at longer wavelength, resistivity, chemical stability and barrier properties for diffusion of impurities etc., Here, ZrN thin films were characterized by X-ray diffraction, UV-Vis-NIR optical spectroscopy and corrosion resistance. XRD profile of the ZrN thin films prepared at different substrate bias voltages conforms single face cubic structure with preferred orientation along the (111) plane. ZrN thin film sputtered with 300 V bias voltage show the maximum reflectance 90 % at a wavelength of 1000 nm. The ZrN thin film coated with 300 V shows better corrosion resistance then the films coated lower bias voltages.