&gt;24% screen printed Cu contacted n-TOPCon solar cells with successful implementation of LECO process

Ok, Young-Woo; Zhong, Ruohan; Upadhyaya, Vijaykumar; Mulkaluri, Venkata Sai Aditya; Rohatgi, Ajeet; Williams, Dustin; Elmer, Kevin; Nambo, Apolo; Dharmadasa, Ruvini; Druffel, Thad; Stradins, Pauls; Guthrey, Harvey

doi:10.1016/j.solmat.2026.114356

>24% screen printed Cu contacted n-TOPCon solar cells with successful implementation of LECO process

Journal Article · Thu Apr 09 00:00:00 UTC 2026 · Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2026.114356· OSTI ID:3031075

^[1]; Zhong, Ruohan ^[1]; Upadhyaya, Vijaykumar ^[1]; Mulkaluri, Venkata Sai Aditya ^[1]; Rohatgi, Ajeet ^[1]; Williams, Dustin ^[2]; Elmer, Kevin ^[2]; Nambo, Apolo ^[2]; Dharmadasa, Ruvini ^[2]; Druffel, Thad ^[2]; Stradins, Pauls ^[3]; Guthrey, Harvey ^[3]

Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States)
Bert Thin Films Inc., Louisville, KY (United States)
National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), Golden, CO (United States)

In this paper, we report the successful fabrication of >24.0 % efficiency n-TOPCon Si solar cells with screen-printed, fire-through Cu contact to n-TOPCon on the rear side and Ag contacted boron emitter on the front side by implementing optimized firing and LECO conditions. The highest efficiency (24.3%) Cu contacted n-TOPCon cell in this study showed excellent cell performance parameters with V_oc >730 mV, J_sc of 41.1 mA/cm² and FF of 80.8%, resulting in an absolute efficiency gap of 0.2% between Cu-contacted and fully Ag contacted n-TOPCon cells (24.5%). The mini-module fabricated with the Cu contacted n-TOPCon cell showed excellent reliability and durability of open-circuit voltage (V_oc), pseudo fill factor (pFF) and efficiency after prolonged damp-heat tests. Such high efficiency screen printed Cu contacted n-TOPCon cells provide unique opportunity to replace very expensive Ag contact on n-TOPCon with cheaper screen printable Cu metal pastes.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), Golden, CO (United States)

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

Grant/Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308; EE0010497

OSTI ID:: 3031075

Report Number(s):: NLR/JA-5K00-99787

Journal Information:: Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Journal Name: Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells Vol. 302; ISSN 0927-0248

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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