Abstract
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 800-808 |
| Journal | Nature energy |
| Volume | 3 |
| Issue number | 9 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Sep 2018 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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A passivating contact for silicon solar cells formed during a single firing thermal annealing. / Ingenito, Andrea (Corresponding Author); Nogay, Gizem; Jeangros, Quentin; Rucavado, Esteban; Allebé, Christophe; Eswara, Santhana; Valle, Nathalie; Wirtz, Tom; Horzel, Jörg; Koida, Takashi; Morales-masis, Monica; Despeisse, Matthieu; Haug, Franz-josef; Löper, Philipp; Ballif, Christophe.
In: Nature energy, Vol. 3, No. 9, 01.09.2018, p. 800-808.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review
TY - JOUR
T1 - A passivating contact for silicon solar cells formed during a single firing thermal annealing
AU - Ingenito, Andrea
AU - Nogay, Gizem
AU - Jeangros, Quentin
AU - Rucavado, Esteban
AU - Allebé, Christophe
AU - Eswara, Santhana
AU - Valle, Nathalie
AU - Wirtz, Tom
AU - Horzel, Jörg
AU - Koida, Takashi
AU - Morales-masis, Monica
AU - Despeisse, Matthieu
AU - Haug, Franz-josef
AU - Löper, Philipp
AU - Ballif, Christophe
PY - 2018/9/1
Y1 - 2018/9/1
N2 - Passivating contacts are indispensable for achieving high conversion efficiency in crystalline-silicon solar cells. Their realization and integration into a convenient process flow have become crucial research objectives. Here, we report an alternative passivating contact that is formed in a single post-deposition annealing step called ‘firing’, an essential step for current solar cell manufacturing. As firing is a fast (<10 s) and high-temperature (>750 °C) anneal, the required microstructural and electrical properties of the passivating contact are stringent. We demonstrate that tuning the carbon content of boron-doped silicon-based thin films inhibits firing-induced layer delamination without preventing a partial crystallization. The latter promotes charge-carrier selectivity, even in the absence of a diffused doped region beyond the oxide, by inducing hole accumulation near the wafer surface. We fabricated proof-of-concept solar cells employing the developed technology, demonstrating an open circuit voltage of 698 mV and an efficiency of 21.9%, and show how it could be a drop-in replacement for today’s rear contacts based on locally opened dielectric passivation stacks.
AB - Passivating contacts are indispensable for achieving high conversion efficiency in crystalline-silicon solar cells. Their realization and integration into a convenient process flow have become crucial research objectives. Here, we report an alternative passivating contact that is formed in a single post-deposition annealing step called ‘firing’, an essential step for current solar cell manufacturing. As firing is a fast (<10 s) and high-temperature (>750 °C) anneal, the required microstructural and electrical properties of the passivating contact are stringent. We demonstrate that tuning the carbon content of boron-doped silicon-based thin films inhibits firing-induced layer delamination without preventing a partial crystallization. The latter promotes charge-carrier selectivity, even in the absence of a diffused doped region beyond the oxide, by inducing hole accumulation near the wafer surface. We fabricated proof-of-concept solar cells employing the developed technology, demonstrating an open circuit voltage of 698 mV and an efficiency of 21.9%, and show how it could be a drop-in replacement for today’s rear contacts based on locally opened dielectric passivation stacks.
U2 - 10.1038/s41560-018-0239-4
DO - 10.1038/s41560-018-0239-4
M3 - Article
VL - 3
SP - 800
EP - 808
JO - Nature energy
JF - Nature energy
SN - 2058-7546
IS - 9
ER -