This study evaluates the interface passivation quality of the amorphous/crystalline heterointerface and the performance of the heterojunction with intrinsic thin layer solar cells via values of a plasma parameter characterized by the deposition pressure (p) x electrode distance (d). Increasing the product of p x d leads to a lower crystalline fraction and higher hydrogen content, and enhances the c-Si surface passivation. This p x d evaluation factor is also compared with other evaluation factors, such as the silane depletion fraction and film-crystallinity. The tendencies of minority carrier lifetimes with respect to these evaluation factors were similar. Using the highest p x d value of 48, the photovoltaic parameter of the device yielded an open-circuit voltage of up to 710 mV, in turned giving an efficiency of 19.12%. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.