High Open-Circuit Voltage in Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells

2007 ◽  
Vol 989 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qi Wang ◽  
Matt R. Page ◽  
Eugene Iwancizko ◽  
Yueqin Xu ◽  
Lorenzo Roybal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Open Circuit Voltage ◽  
Surface Recombination ◽  
Open Circuit ◽  
Surface Recombination Velocity ◽  
Back Surface ◽  
Float Zone ◽  
Double Heterojunction ◽  
Type C ◽  
Recombination Velocity

AbstractHigh open-circuit voltage (Voc) silicon heterojunction (SHJ) solar cells are fabricated in double-heterojunction a-Si:H/c-Si/a-Si:H structures using low temperature (<225°C) hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) contacts deposited by hot-wire chemical vapor deposition (HWCVD). On p-type c-Si float-zone wafers, we used an amorphous n/i contact to the top surface and an i/p contact to the back surface to obtain a Voc of 667 mV in a 1 cm2 cell with an efficiency of 18.2%. This is the best reported p-type SHJ voltage. In our labs, it improves over the 652 mV cell obtained with a front amorphous n/i heterojunction emitter and a high-temperature alloyed Al back-surface-field contact. On n-type c-Si float-zone wafers, we used an a Si:H (p/i) front emitter and an a-Si:H (i/n) back contact to achieve a Voc of 691 mV on 1 cm2 cell. Though not as high as the 730 mV reported by Sanyo on n-wafers, this is the highest reported Voc for SHJ c-Si cells processed by the HWCVD technique. We found that effective c-Si surface cleaning and a double-heterojunction are keys to obtaining high Voc. Transmission electron microscopy reveals that high Voc cells require an abrupt interface from c-Si to a-Si:H. If the transition from the base wafer to the a-Si:H incorporates either microcrystalline or epitaxial Si at c Si interface, a low Voc will result. Lifetime measurement shows that the back-surface-recombination velocity (BSRV) can be reduced to ~15 cm/s through a-Si:H passivation. Amorphous silicon heterojunction layers on crystalline wafers thus combine low-surface recombination velocity with excellent carrier extraction.

scholarly journals Simulation of Open Circuit Voltage Decay for Solar Cell Determination of the Base Minority Carrier Lifetime and the Back Surface Recombination Velocity

1997 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 225-238
Author(s):  
B. Affour ◽  
P. Mialhe
Keyword(s):  
Open Circuit Voltage ◽  
Minority Carrier ◽  
Surface Recombination ◽  
Minority Carrier Lifetime ◽  
Open Circuit ◽  
Surface Recombination Velocity ◽  
Back Surface ◽  
Voltage Decay ◽  
Recombination Velocity

The Open Circuit Voltage Decay (OCVD) method for the determination of the base minority carrier lifetime (τ) and the back surface recombination velocity (S) of silicon solar cells has been investigated at constant illumination level. The validity of the method has been discussed through a simulation study by considering the mathematical solution of the continuity equation. Extracted values ofτand S are compared to their input values in order to evaluate the performances of our method and the precision with regard to cell structural parameters, namely the base width and the base doping level. Deviations in lifetime values remain lower than 7% for almost all the cell configurations while recombination velocity deviations are shown to be dependent on cell structure parameters and experimental procedure.

scholarly journals Numerical Simulation Analysis of Ag Crystallite Effects on Interface of Front Metal and Silicon in the PERC Solar Cell

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 592
Author(s):  
Myeong Sang Jeong ◽  
Yonghwan Lee ◽  
Ka-Hyun Kim ◽  
Sungjin Choi ◽  
Min Gu Kang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Open Circuit Voltage ◽  
Surface Recombination ◽  
Open Circuit ◽  
Surface Recombination Velocity ◽  
Metal Interface ◽  
Ag Crystallites ◽  
Recombination Velocity

In the fabrication of crystalline silicon solar cells, the contact properties between the front metal electrode and silicon are one of the most important parameters for achieving high-efficiency, as it is an integral element in the formation of solar cell electrodes. This entails an increase in the surface recombination velocity and a drop in the open-circuit voltage of the solar cell; hence, controlling the recombination velocity at the metal-silicon interface becomes a critical factor in the process. In this study, the distribution of Ag crystallites formed on the silicon-metal interface, the surface recombination velocity in the silicon-metal interface and the resulting changes in the performance of the Passivated Emitter and Rear Contact (PERC) solar cells were analyzed by controlling the firing temperature. The Ag crystallite distribution gradually increased corresponding to a firing temperature increase from 850 ∘C to 950 ∘C. The surface recombination velocity at the silicon-metal interface increased from 353 to 599 cm/s and the open-circuit voltage of the PERC solar cell decreased from 659.7 to 647 mV. Technology Computer-Aided Design (TCAD) simulation was used for detailed analysis on the effect of the surface recombination velocity at the silicon-metal interface on the PERC solar cell performance. Simulations showed that the increase in the distribution of Ag crystallites and surface recombination velocity at the silicon-metal interface played an important role in the decrease of open-circuit voltage of the PERC solar cell at temperatures of 850–900 ∘C, whereas the damage caused by the emitter over fire was determined as the main cause of the voltage drop at 950 ∘C. These results are expected to serve as a steppingstone for further research on improvement in the silicon-metal interface properties of silicon-based solar cells and investigation on high-efficiency solar cells.

The Effect of Al-BSF on Seff and Rb in Industrialized Mono-Silicon Solar Cells

2012 ◽  
Vol 472-475 ◽  
pp. 1846-1850
Author(s):  
Shan Shan Dai ◽  
Gao Jie Zhang ◽  
Xiang Dong Luo ◽  
Jing Xiao Wang ◽  
Wen Jun Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Spectral Response ◽  
Short Circuit ◽  
Rear Surface ◽  
Surface Recombination ◽  
Short Circuit Current ◽  
Open Circuit ◽  
Surface Recombination Velocity ◽  
Silicon Solar Cells ◽  
Back Surface

In this work, the effect of aluminum back surface field formed by screen printed various amount of Al paste on the effective rear surface recombination velocity (Seff) and the internal rear reflectance coeffeicient (Rb) of commercial mono-silicon solar cells was investigated. We demonstrated the effect of Seffand Rbon the performance of Al-BSF solar cells by simulating them with PC1D. The simulated results showed that the lower Seffcould get higher open circuit voltage (Voc), at the same time, the larger Rbcould get higher short-circuit current (Isc). Experimentally, we investigated the Seffand Rbthrough depositing Al paste with various amount (3.7, 5, 6, and 8 mg/cm2) for fabricating Al-BSF mono-silicon solar cells. Four group cells were characterized by light I-V, spectral response, hemispherical reflectance and scanning electron microscope (SEM) measurements. It was found that, a minimum Seffof 350 cm/s was gotten from the cells with Al paste of 8 mg/cm2, which was extracted by matching quantum efficiency (QE) from 800 nm to 1200 nm with PC1D, and a maximum Rbof 53.5% was obtained from Al paste of 5 mg/cm2by calculating at 1105 nm with PC1D. When the amount of Al paste was higher than 5mg/cm2, there were less Seffand lower Rb. On the other hand, when Al amount was 3.7mg/cm2, it was too little to form a closed BSF. Based on the SEM graphs and simulations with PC1D, a simple explaination was proposed for the experimental results.

Low effective back‐surface recombination velocity by boron implantation on 0.3‐Ω‐cmp‐type silicon solar cells

1988 ◽  
Vol 63 (9) ◽  
pp. 4683-4687 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leendert A. Verhoef ◽  
Albert Zondervan ◽  
Fredrik A. Lindholm ◽  
Mark B. Spitzer ◽  
Christopher J. Keavney
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Surface Recombination ◽  
Surface Recombination Velocity ◽  
Silicon Solar Cells ◽  
Back Surface ◽  
Type Silicon ◽  
Boron Implantation ◽  
Recombination Velocity

Low-temperature Phosphorus Doping To Silicon Using Phosphorus-related Radicals

2012 ◽  
Vol 1391 ◽  
Author(s):  
Taro Hayakawa ◽  
Yuuki Nakashima ◽  
Koichi Koyama ◽  
Keisuke Ohdaira ◽  
Hideki Matsumura
Keyword(s):  
Substrate Temperature ◽  
Carrier Concentration ◽  
Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Crystalline Silicon ◽  
Surface Recombination ◽  
Minority Carrier Lifetime ◽  
Surface Recombination Velocity ◽  
Passivation Layers ◽  
Type C ◽  
Recombination Velocity

ABSTRACTPhosphorus (P) doped ultra thin n+-layer is formed on crystalline silicon (c-Si) at low substrate temperatures of 80 – 350 °C using radicals generated by the catalytic reaction of phosphine (PH3) with a tungsten catalyzer heated at 1300 °C. The sheet carrier concentration obtained by Hall effect is in the range between 3×1012cm-2 and 8×1012cm-2. The distribution of P atoms obtained by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) indicates that P atoms locate within the depth of 4 nm from surface and the profile has almost the same distribution independent of any doping conditions such as substrate temperature or radical exposure time. The sheet carrier concentration is 1.15 – 2.12% of the amount of P atoms incorporated through the radical doping. The ratio of activated donors increases with substrate temperature during the radical doping, suggesting that P-related species bonded on the c-Si surface require thermal energy for their activation. Using the n+-layer formed by radical doping, the reduction of surface recombination velocity for n-type c-Si wafer is attempted. The effective minority carrier lifetime of the n-type c-Si sample covered with 6-nm-thick intrinsic amorphous Si (i-a-Si) layers on both side increases from 32 μs to1576 μs by the radical doping of P atoms to n-type c-Si surface, suggesting that the radical doping can be utilized for the formation of passivation layers on a-Si/ n-c-Si hetero-interface.

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