research

Nanocrystalline n Type Silicon Front Surface Field Layers From Research to Industry Applications in Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells

Abstract

Nanocrystalline silicon and silicon oxide nc Si Ox H layers grown by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition PECVD have shown low parasitic absorption and excellent contact properties when implemented as n type front surface field FSF contact in rear junction silicon heterojunction SHJ solar cells [1 3]. In this contribution we present results from the successful process transfer from the lab at PVcomB at the Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin HZB , to the industrial pilot line at Meyer Burger Germany GmbH MBG . Conversion efficiencies gt; 22.5 were demonstrated on SHJ cell 4 cm2 [2, 3]. The excellent cell performance in the lab and the potential to reduce parasitic absorption in the front stack by using nc SiOx H motivated the process transfer from HZB to MBG. Initial cross processing experiments on 244 cm2 wafers showed the benefit of using nc Si H as FSF layer. We here also emphasize the role of the Si texture on a fast nc Si H nucleation. After cross processing experiments a successful transfer of the nc Si H process and fine tuning resulted in a median cell efficiency of 23.4 . This is in the same range as the MGB reference on 244 cm2 cells, noteworthy, at the same throughput. Currently work is ongoing to further improve the optical performance of the cells by adding oxygen CO

    Similar works