Patterning Metal Grids for GaAs Solar Cells with Cracked Film Lithography: Quantifying the Cost/Performance Tradeoff
Abstract
We introduce cracked film lithography (CFL) as a way to reduce the cost of III–V photovoltaics (PV). We spin-coat nanoparticle suspensions onto GaAs thin-film device stacks. The suspensions dry in seconds, forming crack networks that we use as templates through which to electroplate the solar cells’ front metal grids. For the first time, we show that heating the crack template allows it to flow and refill cracks, which decreases crack footprint and improves final grid transmittance. We demonstrate 24.7%-efficient single-junction GaAs solar cells using vacuum-free CFL grids. These devices are only 1.7% (absolute) less efficient than the baseline grids patterned by photolithography with the loss mostly resulting from the reduced transparency of the CFL pattern. Additional optimization could decrease this difference. Initial cost modeling suggests that CFL is more scalable than photolithography: In particular, CFL’s lower materials and equipment costs could greatly reduce the levelized cost of electricity of III–V PV at scale, a potential step toward terrestrial deployment.
- Authors:
-
- National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Solar Energy Technologies Office
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1665850
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/JA-5K00-76920
Journal ID: ISSN 1944-8244; MainId:24883;UUID:e0c7c2c9-73bb-4855-8aee-8993cac41186;MainAdminID:18487
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC36-08GO28308
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 12; Journal Issue: 37; Journal ID: ISSN 1944-8244
- Publisher:
- American Chemical Society (ACS)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 14 SOLAR ENERGY; gallium arsenide; photovoltaics; solar cell; electroplating; lithography
Citation Formats
Muzzillo, Christopher P., Wong, Evan, Mansfield, Lorelle M., Simon, John, and Ptak, Aaron J. Patterning Metal Grids for GaAs Solar Cells with Cracked Film Lithography: Quantifying the Cost/Performance Tradeoff. United States: N. p., 2020.
Web. doi:10.1021/acsami.0c11352.
Muzzillo, Christopher P., Wong, Evan, Mansfield, Lorelle M., Simon, John, & Ptak, Aaron J. Patterning Metal Grids for GaAs Solar Cells with Cracked Film Lithography: Quantifying the Cost/Performance Tradeoff. United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.0c11352
Muzzillo, Christopher P., Wong, Evan, Mansfield, Lorelle M., Simon, John, and Ptak, Aaron J. Fri .
"Patterning Metal Grids for GaAs Solar Cells with Cracked Film Lithography: Quantifying the Cost/Performance Tradeoff". United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.0c11352. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1665850.
@article{osti_1665850,
title = {Patterning Metal Grids for GaAs Solar Cells with Cracked Film Lithography: Quantifying the Cost/Performance Tradeoff},
author = {Muzzillo, Christopher P. and Wong, Evan and Mansfield, Lorelle M. and Simon, John and Ptak, Aaron J.},
abstractNote = {We introduce cracked film lithography (CFL) as a way to reduce the cost of III–V photovoltaics (PV). We spin-coat nanoparticle suspensions onto GaAs thin-film device stacks. The suspensions dry in seconds, forming crack networks that we use as templates through which to electroplate the solar cells’ front metal grids. For the first time, we show that heating the crack template allows it to flow and refill cracks, which decreases crack footprint and improves final grid transmittance. We demonstrate 24.7%-efficient single-junction GaAs solar cells using vacuum-free CFL grids. These devices are only 1.7% (absolute) less efficient than the baseline grids patterned by photolithography with the loss mostly resulting from the reduced transparency of the CFL pattern. Additional optimization could decrease this difference. Initial cost modeling suggests that CFL is more scalable than photolithography: In particular, CFL’s lower materials and equipment costs could greatly reduce the levelized cost of electricity of III–V PV at scale, a potential step toward terrestrial deployment.},
doi = {10.1021/acsami.0c11352},
journal = {ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces},
number = 37,
volume = 12,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Aug 21 00:00:00 EDT 2020},
month = {Fri Aug 21 00:00:00 EDT 2020}
}
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