Effect of doping profile on sheet resistance and contact resistance of monocrystalline silicon solar cells

Background: Potential induced degradation (PID) has recently been identified as one of the most important degradation mechanisms for silicon solar cells. It is widely considered that PID is closely related with the manufacture and application period of solar modules. Methods: In this study, the effects of diffusion sheet resistance on PID were verified and explained by testing the emitter doping profile, the minority carrier lifetime, the emitter saturation current, the electrical performance of different cells, and the PID process. Results: With increasing sheet resistance of cells, the depth and saturation current density of the emitter both decreased, and the cell efficiency increased, whereas the PID phenomenon became serious. Conclusions: It was found that higher sheet resistance or thinner P–N junction could lead to higher PID sensitivity. Therefore, more attention should be paid to PID phenomenon as the photovoltaic industry develops in the direction of high sheet resistance.

Download Full-text

Thin-film monocrystalline-silicon solar cells made by a seed layer approach on glass-ceramic substrates

Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells ◽

10.1016/j.solmat.2009.08.015 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 94 (2) ◽

pp. 381-385 ◽

Cited By ~ 36

Author(s):

I. Gordon ◽

S. Vallon ◽

A. Mayolet ◽

G. Beaucarne ◽

J. Poortmans

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

Solar Cells ◽

Glass Ceramic ◽

Seed Layer ◽

Monocrystalline Silicon ◽

Silicon Solar Cells ◽

Ceramic Substrates

Download Full-text

Contact resistance of indium tin oxide and fluorine-doped indium oxide films grown by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis to diffusion layers in silicon solar cells

Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells ◽

10.1016/j.solmat.2015.01.018 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 137 ◽

pp. 26-33 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

G.G. Untila ◽

T.N. Kost ◽

A.B. Chebotareva ◽

E.D. Kireeva

Keyword(s):

Solar Cells ◽

Contact Resistance ◽

Spray Pyrolysis ◽

Indium Oxide ◽

Tin Oxide ◽

Indium Tin Oxide ◽

Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis ◽

Silicon Solar Cells ◽

Diffusion Layers ◽

Ultrasonic Spray

Download Full-text

Application Examples for the Different Measurement Modes of Electrical Properties of the Solar Cells

Archives of Metallurgy and Materials ◽

10.2478/amm-2014-0040 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 59 (1) ◽

pp. 247-252 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

M. Musztyfaga-Staszuk ◽

L.A. Dobrzanski ◽

S. Rusz ◽

M. Staszuk

Keyword(s):

Solar Cells ◽

Electrical Properties ◽

Contact Resistance ◽

Sheet Resistance ◽

Cross Sections ◽

Standard Technique ◽

Photovoltaic Cell ◽

Metal Resistance ◽

Silicon Wafers ◽

Formation Technique

Abstract The aim of the paper was to apply the newly developed instruments ‘Corescan’ and ‘Sherescan’ in order to measure the essential parameters of producing solar cells in comparison with the standard techniques. The standard technique named the Transmission Line Method (TLM) is one way to monitor contacting process to measure contact resistance locally between the substrate and metallization. Nowadays, contact resistance is measured over the whole photovoltaic cell using Corescanner instrument. The Sherescan device in comparison with standard devices gives a possibility to measure the sheet resistance of the emitter of silicon wafers and determine of both P/N recognition and metal resistance. The Screen Printing (SP) method is the most widely used contact formation technique for commercial silicon solar cells. The contact resistance of manufactured front metallization depends of both the paste composition and co-firing conditions. Screen printed front side metallization and next to co-fired in the infrared conveyor furnace was carried out at various temperature from 770°C to 920°C. The silver paste used in the present paper is commercial. The investigations were carried out on monocrystalline silicon wafers. The topography of co-fired in the infrared belt furnace front metallization was investigated using the atomic force microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM). There were researched also cross sections of front contacts using SEM microscope. Front contacts of the solar cells were formed on non-textured silicon surface with coated antireflection layer. On one hand, based on electrical properties investigations using Sherescan instrument it was obtained the knowledge of the emitter sheet resistance across the surface of a wafer, what is essential in optimizing the emitter diffusion process. On the other hand, it was found using Corescan instrument that the higher temperature apparently results in a strongly decreased contact resistance.

Download Full-text