Enhanced passivation and stability of negative charge injected SiNx with higher nitrogen content on the boron diffused surface of n-type Si solar cells

Min, Kwan Hong; Hwang, Jeong-Mo; Chen, Christopher; Choi, Wook-Jin; Upadhyaya, Vijaykumar D.; Bounsaville, Brian; Rohatgi, Ajeet; Ok, Young-Woo

doi:10.1016/j.solmat.2024.112922

Enhanced passivation and stability of negative charge injected SiN_x with higher nitrogen content on the boron diffused surface of n-type Si solar cells

Journal Article · Sun May 19 00:00:00 EDT 2024 · Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2024.112922· OSTI ID:2352120

Min, Kwan Hong ^[1]; ^[2]; ^[2]; ^[3]; Upadhyaya, Vijaykumar D. ^[3]; Bounsaville, Brian ^[3]; Rohatgi, Ajeet ^[3]; ^[3]

Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States); Inert Plasma Charging LLC
Inert Plasma Charging LLC, Chandler, AZ (United States)
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States)

This paper explores the potential of the negatively charged SiN_x using plasma charge injection technology to passivate the front textured boron-diffused emitter of n-type Si solar cells. The high-x value single SiN_x layer with x ≥ 1.30 (x = N/Si) previously developed for the planarized rear-side passivation of p-type silicon solar cells, with an excellent passivation and charge stability, was found to be unacceptable for the passivation on the front textured boron emitter of n-type cells due to a severe bulk lifetime degradation issue. Therefore, in this study, we investigated a new concept of depositing a dual-x SiN_x with a low-x SiN_x layer (x~1.01) on top of a high-x SiN_x layer (x~1.30) for passivation of the front textured rough surface of boron diffused emitter in n-type cells. Here, the optimized dual-x SiN_x stack reveals the promise of charge retention for more than 25 years in field operation as well as excellent passivation of boron-doped emitter without bulk lifetime degradation. N-type cells with the optimized dual-x SiN_x after charge injection show comparable cell performance to Al₂O₃ passivated reference cells. The results of cell-level light stability tests using one-cell minimodules exhibit cell performance decay characteristics similar to the traditional Al₂O₃/SiN_x passivated reference module.

Research Organization:: Inert Plasma Charging LLC, Chandler, AZ (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: National Science Foundation (NSF); USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE); USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Solar Energy Technologies Office

Grant/Contract Number:: EE0008566

OSTI ID:: 2352120

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 2352355

Journal Information:: Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Journal Name: Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells Vol. 273; ISSN 0927-0248

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Enhanced passivation and stability of negative charge injected SiNx with higher nitrogen content on the boron diffused surface of n-type Si solar cells

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References (12)

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