Polycrystalline p-type films were vacuum deposited onto TiB/sub 2/ coated alumina and sapphire substrates. Epitaxial layers were also formed on single crystal silicon substrates. Junctions in the layers were created by both gaseous diffusion in a tube furnace and by vacuum deposition. The TiB/sub 2/ vacuum deposited bottom electrodes have resistivities between 30 and 40 ..mu.. ..cap omega..-cm. All-vacuum-deposited solar cells were fabricated for the first time. Efficiencies approaching those in the diffused junction devices were achieved. The n-layers were deposited on the previously deposited p-layer/TiB/sub 2//ceramic sandwiches by vacuum deposition of silicon in a phosphine (PH/sub 3/) atmosphere. Photovoltaic data in diffused junction samples, including efficiency and spectral response measurements, indicate that crystallite size may no longer be the limiting factor in achieving high efficiency; rather, performance is now being limited by the presence of impurities in the vacuum deposition silicon base region.

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