Enhanced optical and electrical properties of indium tin oxide for solar cell applications via post-microwave treatment

The method to enhance current density in silicon heterojunction (SHJ) solar cells involves increasing surface roughness through higher temperature during indium thin oxide (ITO) deposition. Although cost-effective, the optoelectrical properties require further enhancement for solar cell application. Thus, post-heat treatment is necessary to improve their optoelectrical properties. Microwave treatment (MWT) emerges as a promising way to selectively generate heat in ITO briefly. Therefore, we propose a MWT process to enhance optoelectrical properties. After depositing ITO at 500 °C and then MWT, the average transmittance is over 98.7% in the visible range, with a sheet resistance of 81 Ω/□. Finally, the weighted reflectance was calculated using measured reflectance data to assess the applicability in solar cell applications. As a result, the calculation shows that a weighted reflectance value of 0.6% after MWT. These results indicate that MWT effectively enhances optoelectrical properties of ITO, which are essential for the development of solar cell applications. •Increasing surface roughness through higher temperature during ITO deposition.•Material properties of ITO were investigated using FE-SEM, AFM and XRD.•Optoelectrical properties of ITO after MWT were investigated.•The weighted reflectance was calculated to assess the applicability in solar cell applications.