Optimization of Mono-Crystalline Silicon Solar Cell Devices Using PC1D Simulation

Expeditious urbanization and rapid industrialization have significantly influenced the rise of energy demand globally in the past two decades. Solar energy is considered a vital energy source that addresses this demand in a cost-effective and environmentally friendly manner. Improving solar cell efficiency is considered a prerequisite to reinforcing silicon solar cells’ growth in the energy market. In this study, the influence of various parameters like the thickness of the absorber or wafer, doping concentration, bulk resistivity, lifetime, and doping levels of the emitter and back surface field, along with the surface recombination velocity (front and back) on solar cell efficiency was investigated using PC1D simulation software. Inferences from the results indicated that the bulk resistivity of 1 Ω·cm; bulk lifetime of 2 ms; emitter (n+) doping concentration of 1×1020 cm−3 and shallow back surface field doping concentration of 1×1018 cm−3; surface recombination velocity maintained in the range of 102 and 103 cm/s obtained a solar cell efficiency of 19%. The Simulation study presented in this article allows faster, simpler, and easier impact analysis of the design considerations on the Si solar cell wafer fabrications with increased performance.

Analysis on the Efficient Limiting Factors of N-Type Rear Junction Solar Cells by PC1D Simulation

By conventional production-line process, n-type Al-doped rear junction solar cell could be easily fabricated without any other equipment and process. Since the properties of n-type silicon material are different to that of p-type silicon material and the junction is placed at the back, the process parameters should be optimized theoretically to assess the efficient potential. By modeling cells using PC1D software, the effect of some process parameters on the properties of n-type base solar cells were studied, including base resistivity, bulk lifetime, front surface field and recombination rate of front surface. The key parameters were identified and the potential industrial efficiency was calculated.

Effect of High-Temperature Annealing on Ion-Implanted Silicon Solar Cells

P-type and n-type wafers were implanted with phosphorus and boron, respectively, for emitter formation and were annealed subsequently at 950∼1050∘Cfor 30∼90 min for activation. Boron emitters were activated at1000∘Cor higher, while phosphorus emitters were activated at950∘C. QSSPC measurements show that the impliedVocof boron emitters increases about 15 mV and theJ01decreases by deep junction annealing even after the activation due to the reduced recombination in the emitter. However, for phosphorus emitters the impliedVocdecreases from 622 mV to 560 mV and theJ01increases with deep junction annealing. This is due to the abrupt decrease in the bulk lifetime of the p-type wafer itself from 178 μs to 14 μs. PC1D simulation based on these results shows that, for p-type implanted solar cells, increasing the annealing temperature and time abruptly decreases the efficiency (Δηabs=−1.3%), while, for n-type implanted solar cells, deep junction annealing increases the efficiency andVoc, especially (Δηabs=+0.4%) for backside emitter solar cells.