前结背接触晶硅太阳电池发射区研究

利用Silvaco-TCAD仿真软件全面系统地分析了发射区表面浓度(cE)、结深(xj)及发射区覆盖比率(EF)对P型前结背接触晶硅太阳电池输出特性的影响。结果表明:基于常规低成本P型晶硅衬底(利用直拉法生长,电阻率为1.5?·cm,少子寿命为10μs)的前结背接触太阳电池,其上表面发射区表面浓度及结深对太阳电池的输出特性产生显著影响。上表面发射区表面浓度和结深越大,短波入射光外量子效率越小。当上表面发射区表面浓度为1×1019 cm–3,结深为0.2μm时,电池效率高达20.72%。侧面和下表面发射区表面浓度及结深对太阳电池输出特性的影响较小。但侧面和下表面发射区覆盖比率对太阳电池的输出特性产生显著影响。侧面和下表面发射区覆盖比率越大,太阳电池外量子效率和转换效率越高。     

Low-cost solar cells based on large-area unconventional silicon

Low-cost approaches to solar cell manufacture require the use of inexpensive low-grade nonsingle crystalline silicon. Earlier experimental results indicate that conventional polysilicon, as it is used as ingot for the single crystal growing process, leads to solar cells of poor photovoltaic performance. These problems were overcome by utilizing unconventional nonsingle crystalline silicon, which is characterized by controlled size and structure of the individual grains. With modified processing, optimized in respect to the unique structure of the material, large-area solar cells could be realized under production scheme methods. Cells exhibiting dimensions up to 11 cm × 11 cm were fabricated, AM0 efficiencies of 8 percent could be achieved corresponding to AM1 values exceeding 10 percent. On test samples of 2 cm × 2 cm area AM0 efficiency Of 12.5 percent (AM1 value equivalent 14.0 percent) could be reached. The new material together with the optimized processes offer potentials for significant cost reduction by virtue of their being applicable to volume production and to automated fabrication techniques.     

Low-cost industrial technologies of crystalline silicon solar cells

Approximately 2 billion people, mainly in Third World countries, are not connected to an electric grid. The standard, centralized grid development is too expensive and time consuming to solve the energy demand problem. Therefore, there is a need for decentralized renewable energy sources. The main attractiveness of solar cells is that they generate electricity directly from sunlight and can be mounted in modular, stand-alone photovoltaic (PV) systems. Particular attention is paid in this paper to crystalline silicon solar cells, since bulk silicon solar-cell (mono and multi) modules comprise approximately 85% of all worldwide PV module shipments. Energy conversion efficiency as high as 24% has been achieved on laboratory, small-area monocrystalline silicon cells, whereas the typical efficiency of industrial crystalline silicon solar cells is in the range of 13-16%. The market price of PV modules remains for the last few years in the range of $3.5-4.5/watt peak (Wp). For the photovoltaic industry, the biggest concern is to improve the efficiency and decrease the price of the commercial PV modules. Efficiency-enhancement techniques of commercial cells are described in detail. Adaptation of many high-efficiency features to industrially fabricated solar cells. The latest study shows that increasing the PV market size toward 500 MWp/y and accounting for realistic industrial improvements can lead to a drastic PV module price reduction down to $1/Wp     

Laser structuring for back junction silicon solar cells

We demonstrate mask‐free fabrication of a 22·0%‐efficient crystalline Si solar cell by applying laser ablation of Si and by laser ablation of protective coatings. The bulk absorber material is a p ‐type float zone silicon wafer and the designated cell area is 4 cm². While the processing time of our laboratory‐type of laser system is far too slow for industrial processing, we estimate on the basis of our experiments that laser processing of 12·5 × 12·5 cm²‐sized solar cells in just a few seconds is feasible with commercially available equipment. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Theory of back surface field silicon solar cells

Back surface field silicon solar cells with n⁺pp⁺ (or sometimes p⁺nn⁺) structures are found to have better characteristics than the conventional solar cells. The existing theories have not been able to satisfactorily predict the experimentally observed parameters on these cells. A theory, based on the transport of both minority and majority carriers under the charge neutrality condition, has been developed in the present paper which explains the behavior of the back surface field solar cells. Good agreement is achieved between the results obtained by using this theory and the experimental observations of earlier workers.     

N 型背接触晶硅太阳电池前表面场研究

利用 Silvaco 公司的 Athena 工艺仿真软件和 Atlas 器件仿真软件,对 N 型插指背结背接触(InterdigitatedBack Contact,IBC)晶硅太阳电池普遍采用的前表面场（FSF）结构进行研究,详细分析了 IBC 晶硅电池 FSF 表面掺杂浓度及扩散深度对电池性能的影响。结果表明：具有不同表面掺杂浓度和扩散深度的 FSF 对 IBC 晶硅太阳电池短路电流密度(Jsc)、开路电压(Voc)和填充因子(FF)产生显著影响,从而影响电池的转换效率(Eff)。具有较低表面浓度、深扩散 FSF 结构的 IBC 晶硅太阳电池可获得较高转换效率,当表面掺杂浓度为 5×1017cm–3时,电池转换效率Eff最高,且随 FSF 扩散深度增加略有增加,最高转换效率可达 22.3%。     

n-Doped-layer free amorphous silicon thin film solar cells fabricated with the CuMg alloy as back contact metal

The feasibility of using CuMg alloy as back contact metal for n⁺-doped-layer free a-Si:H thin film solar cell (TFSC) has been investigated in this work. The ohmic-contact characteristic has been achieved by using the CuMg alloy as back contact metal. The proposed structure showed the typical solar cell current-voltage (I-V) characteristic. An initial efficiency of 4.3% has been obtained with a open-circuit voltage V_oc = 0.79 V, short-circuit current J_sc = 13.4 mA/cm² and fill factor F.F. = 0.40. Furthermore, the experimental results also showed the CuMg alloy was suitable for the replacement of n⁺-doped-layer with the production cost reduction of a-Si:H TSFC.     

Alternative contact designs for thin epitaxial silicon solar cells

Two major opportunities for increasing the performance of crystalline silicon solar cells involve reducing their thickness and reducing the losses associated with their front metallic grid contacts. Front grid contacted thin epitaxial silicon solar cells based on the growth of crystalline silicon films on a substrate or superstrate have been reported for many years, as have wafer‐based solar cells with alternative contact approaches. Integrating these two concepts into a single device presents an opportunity for simultaneously reducing two major loss mechanisms associated with crystalline silicon solar cells. The opportunities that exist and challenges that must be overcome in order to realize such a device are described in this paper. The design space is defined and explored by considering a wide range of possible approaches. A specific approach was chosen and used to design, grow, and fabricate a proof‐of‐concept thin epitaxial silicon solar cell with an embedded semiconductor grid as an alternative to a conventional front metallic grid. The work presented here has resulted in a thin epitaxial silicon solar cell with a 7·8% designated area conversion efficiency, well isolated contacts, negligible series resistive power loss, and less than 1% shading of the designated area. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Performance of front contact silicon solar cells under concentration

The first realization of a new type of silicon solar cell intended for operation at very high concentration, with all the contacts at its front face, is presented. Although the efficiencies achieved are not outstanding, the feasibility of the structure is proven by the fabrication of several thousands of cells with similar performance. Modeling has evidenced the main routes for improvement. Efficiencies close to 25% for a range of efficiencies from 80 to 560 suns are predicted as achievable for cells with state‐of‐the‐art technology and appropriate layout. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The interdigitated back contact solar cell: A silicon solar cell for use in concentrated sunlight

The theoretical and experimental performance of an interdigitated back contact solar cell is described. This type of cell is shown to have significant advantages over a conventional solar cell design when used at high concentration levels, namely, reduced internal series resistance, nonsaturating open-circuit voltage, and an absence of shadowing by front surface contacting fingers. The results of a computer study are presented showing the effects of bulk lifetime, surface recombination velocity, device thickness, contact dimensions, and illumination intensity on the conversion efficiency and general device operation. Experimental results are presented for solar illumination intensities up to 28 W/cm².     

Optimization of the rear contact pattern of high-efficiency silicon solar cells with and without local back surface field

The influence of the point spacing and size on the cell efficiency is studied for different silicon solar cell structures with local rear contacts: the PERC (passivated emitter and rear cell) with its high recombination at the rear contacts and the LBSF (local back surface field) or PERL (passivated emitter and rear locally diffused) cell with reduced combination at the rear contacts due to a diffused high-low junction (or LBSF) beneath the contacts. Float zone materials of different resistivities have been investigated. The experimental results are explained by three-dimensional finite difference simulations for the open-circuit voltage, the short-circuit current and the fill factor.     

Influence of Cu_xS back contact on CdTe thin film solar cells

We present a detailed study on CuxS polycrystalline thin films prepared by chemical bath method and utilized as back contact material for CdTe solar cells.The characteristics of the films deposited on Si-substrate are studied by XRD.The results show that as-deposited CuxS thin film is in an amorphous phase while after annealing,samples are in polycrystalline phases with increasing temperature.The thickness of CuxS thin films has great impact on the performance of CdS/CdTe solar cells.When the thickness of the film is about 75 nm the performance of CdS/CdTe thin film solar cells is found to be the best.The energy conversion efficiency can be higher than 12.19%,the filling factor is higher than 68.82% and the open-circuit voltage is more than 820 mV.     

Two‐dimensional modeling of front contact silicon solar cells

The modeling of a new type of silicon solar cell intended for operation at very high concentration, with all the contacts at its front face, is presented. The two‐dimensional model developed makes use of the theory of the complex variable, and is able to explain the main features of the operation of these cells. It is shown that if all the parameters reach good state‐of‐the‐art values, and with the appropriate layout, this structure can reach 25% efficiency for a range of concentrations wider than any other known silicon cell. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Optimization of interdigitated back contact silicon heterojunction solar cells: tailoring hetero‐interface band structures while maintaining surface passivation

Interdigitated back contact silicon heterojunction (IBC‐SHJ) solar cells have the potential for high open circuit voltage (V_OC) due to the surface passivation and heterojunction contacts, and high short circuit current density (J_SC) due to all back contact design. Intrinsic amorphous silicon (a‐Si:H) buffer layer at the rear surface improve the surface passivation hence V_OC and J_SC, but degrade fill factor (FF) from an “S” shape J–V curve. Two‐dimensional (2D) simulation using “Sentaurus device” demonstrates that the low FF is related to the valence band offset (energy barrier) at the hetero‐interface. Three approaches to the buffer layer are suggested to improve the FF: (1) reduced thickness, (2) increased conductivity, and/or (3) reduced band gap. Experimental IBC‐SHJ solar cells with reduced buffer thickness (<5 nm) and increased conductivity with low boron doping significantly improves FF, consistent with simulation. However, this has only marginal effect on efficiency since J_SC and V_OC also decrease due to poor surface passivation. A narrow band gap a‐Si:H buffer layer improves cell efficiency to 13.5% with unoptimized passivation quality. These results demonstrate that tailoring the hetero‐interface band structure is critical for achieving high FF. Simulations predicts that efficiences >23% are possible on planar devices with optimized pitch dimensions and achievable surface passivation, and 26% with light trapping. This work provides criterion to design IBC‐SHJ solar cell structures and optimize cell performance. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Buried contact solar cells on textured tricrystalline CZ‐silicon wafers

Buried contact solar cells (BCSC) have been fabricated on boron‐doped p‐type tricrystalline Czochralski silicon wafers (Tri‐Si) and the output characteristics were compared with those of multi‐crystalline silicon wafers and single crystalline Czochralski wafers. Optical properties and microstructures after texturing Tri‐Si with [110] growth axis in KOH solution have been studied. The textured surface of Tri‐Si has the shape of a V‐groove, with an angle of 110° between two (111) planes. Computer simulations show that a V‐groove composed of (111) planes after texturing decreases reflectance significantly when cells are encapsulated with ethylenevinylacetate (EVA). The efficiency of BCSC fabricated on Tri‐Si was measured as 15.05% before encapsulation. An increase of 2.7 mA/cm² in short‐circuit current density is expected, due to internal reflection of light at the air/glass interface when the textured Tri‐Si cells are encapsulated. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of the back surface topography on the efficiency in silicon solar cells

rface has the best response to a wavelength between 440 and 1000 nm and the sawed-off back surface has a better long wavelength response.     

Light‐trapping and back surface structures for polycrystalline silicon solar cells

Light‐trapping in polycrystalline silicon solar cells is usually considered to be more difficult to implement than that in single crystal silicon solar cells due to the random crystallographic orientations in various grains. Furthermore, if minority carrier diffusion length is on the order of or less than solar cell thickness, which is the case of most cost‐effective polycrystalline silicon, the translation of optical gain, achieved from light‐trapping, into electrical gain will be rather limited, even with a perfect back surface passivation. In this work, geometrical light‐trapping structures are demonstrated using a simplified isotropic etching at polycrystalline silicon surfaces. Combined with a back surface reflector (BSR), an enhanced absorption in the long wavelength region is measured with a low parasitic absorption. Different light‐trapping structures are experimentally compared. To further examine the electrical gain from light‐trapping, a three‐terminal solar cell structure is used. This structure allows three different back surface configurations to be realized in a single device: unpassivated, passivated with a floating junction, and enhanced with a collecting junction. Results indicate that even with a relatively short minority‐carrier diffusion length the current collection in the long wavelength region can be significantly improved and the light‐trapping effect is enhanced as well. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Analysis of efficiency limitations in high-low emitter back surface field silicon solar cells

Analytical and numerical models have been used to analyse the electrical behaviour of HLE-BSF n+-n-p-p+ silicon solar cells. It is shown that this structure should have lower open-circuit voltage values than the simple HLE solar cell due to the recombination current in the p+ region. Back surface passivation is proposed as a means to improve the Voc, that can be as high as 650 mV.