Record efficiencies above 21% for MIS-contacted diffused junction silicon solar cells

Conference · Wed Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1997

OSTI ID:302489

Metz, A; Hezel, R ^[1]

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1. Inst. fuer Solarenergieforschung Hameln/Emmerthal, Emmerthal (Germany)

High-efficiency solar cells obtained by a simple cost-effective manufacturing process are required for a drastic reduction of the costs of solar electricity. In this paper an improved and yet simple processing sequence for highly efficient MIS-contacted diffused n{sup +}p junction (MIS-n{sup +}p) silicon solar cells is presented. The process is characterized by: (i) formation of a metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) contact on an n{sup +}-diffused emitter, (ii) aluminum metallization for front and rear electrodes, and (iii) low-temperature surface passivation by PECVD silicon nitride. For MIS-n{sup +}p solar cells with the front grid defined by Al evaporation through a shadow mask efficiencies of up to 20.6% have been obtained. Furthermore, mask-free metallized cells with a mechanically grooved front surface have been fabricated. These cells have reached a confirmed efficiency of 21.1%, the highest value to date reported for MIS-n{sup +}p silicon solar cells.

• OSTI ID: 302489
• Report Number(s): CONF-970953--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
ALUMINIUM
DESIGN
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
FABRICATION
MIS SOLAR CELLS
PASSIVATION
SILICON NITRIDES
SILICON SOLAR CELLS