Advanced silicon concentrator cells. Technical progress report

Technical Report · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5037055· OSTI ID:5037055

Frank, R.; Goodrich, J.

The long range objective of this program is the development of a silicon concentrator cell having an efficiency of approx. 30% at 27/sup 0/C under very high intensity illumination (approx. 1000 AM2 suns). This is to be accomplished using a back-grooved vertical-junction cell, having no obscured front surface area, together with a mating piece to provide thermal transfer and electrical contact. The goal of the first year of the program is the fabrication of a back-grooved cell and mating piece, such that the cell has an efficiency of >20% at a concentration of 500 to 1000 suns. This is comparable to the performance expected for a front-grooved EMVJ (etched, multiple vertical junction) cell with no obscured front surface area. Front-grooved cells being fabricated under contract to Sandia Laboratories and having only a SiO/sub 2/ AR coating currently have 10% obscured front-surface area and an efficiency of approx. 18% at 500 suns. With no obscured area and all other things being equal (e.g., AR coating, thermal transfer, series resistance, etc.), the back-grooved cell should have an efficiency of approx. 20% due to the 10% decrease in obscured area alone. Thus, the focus of the first year's work is primarily on microelectronics fabrication techniques, in order to achieve the desired cell and mating piece structure. Progress is reported. (WHK)

• Research Organization: Solar Energy Research Inst. (SERI), Golden, CO (United States); Microwave Associates, Inc., Burlington, MA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-77CH00178
• OSTI ID: 5037055
• Report Number(s): SERI/PR-8058-1-T1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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140501* - Solar Energy Conversion- Photovoltaic Conversion