Low-temperature processes for passivation and metallization of high-efficiency crystalline silicon solar cells

Descoeudres, Antoine; Allebé, Christophe; Badel, Nicolas; Barraud, Loris; Champliaud, J.; Christmann, Gabriel; Debrot, F.; Faes, Antonin; Geissbühler, Jonas; Horzel, Jörg; Lachowicz, Agata; Levrat, Jacques; Nicolás, Silvia Martín de; Nicolay, Sylvain; Paviet‐Salomon, Bertrand; Senaud, Laurie‐Lou; Ballif, Christophe; Despeisse, Matthieu

doi:10.1016/j.solener.2018.01.074

Cited by 53 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…Although the environment of dangling bonds at the interface could be different than that of bulk dangling bonds, the effects of Fermi level position and disorder (weak Si‐Si bonds) seem to be mostly relevant. In some recent works, other authors obtained better surface passivation, for example, larger effective lifetimes in P/I/n structures when the (i) a‐Si:H layer exhibited a larger hydrogen microstructure factor R * . This might seem to contradict results obtained from other groups, as previously mentioned.…”

Section: The Role Of the (I) A‐si:h Buffer Layermentioning

confidence: 82%

Recent Progress in Understanding the Properties of the Amorphous Silicon/Crystalline Silicon Interface

Kleider

Alvarez

Brüggemann

et al. 2019

Physica Status Solidi (a)

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The authors review experimental and modeling approaches developed at GeePs to have a better knowledge and understanding of the interface between hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a‐Si:H) and crystalline silicon (c‐Si) in heterojunction solar cells. The authors emphasize the existence of a strong inversion layer at the c‐Si surface for both (n) a‐Si:H/(p) c‐Si and (p) a‐Si:H/(n) c‐Si heterojunctions. Conductive probe atomic force microscopy reveals the existence of a conductive channel at the c‐Si surface. The analysis of complementary lateral planar conductance and capacitance measurements allows for a better description of the band diagram in both types of heterojunctions especially through the determination of band offset values. Furthermore, the passivation properties of the (i) a‐Si:H buffer layer are studied by modeling the volume defects in a‐Si:H with the defect‐pool model. In particular, the DOS in the very thin (i) a‐Si:H layers is much larger than in bulk (i) a‐Si:H because the Fermi level position favors defect creation. Surface defects in c‐Si at the a‐Si:H/c‐Si interface are then quantified and the general trends of effective lifetime measurements with the (i) a‐Si:H layer thickness can be explained, notably the increase of the effective lifetime in c‐Si with increasing the (i) a‐Si:H buffer thickness.

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Section: The Role Of the (I) A‐si:h Buffer Layermentioning

confidence: 82%

Recent Progress in Understanding the Properties of the Amorphous Silicon/Crystalline Silicon Interface

Kleider

Alvarez

Brüggemann

et al. 2019

Physica Status Solidi (a)

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“…Comprehensive consideration is needed when working with silicon heterojunction (SHJ) solar cells due to the fact of their low-temperature fabrication process and capability of gaining higher power conversion efficiency (PEC). The SHJ solar cells at p-type/Si (n-as well as p-layer) and n-type/Si (nplus p-layer) interfaces, with intrinsic thin amorphous silicon layers (i-layer), have invoked substantial interest due to the fact of their excellent thermal budget compared to conventional solar cells as well as having the highest PCE [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]. Over the last twenty years, cutting edge research on SHJ solar cells has developed several advantages: (a) a short and cost-efficient production procedure; (b) inferior degradation and ameliorate stability; (c) inferior processing temperature; and (d) high open-circuit voltage (V oc ) [5,9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There are several parameters in the AFORS-HIT simulation for an improvement in the performance of solar cells. The three parameters discussed in this manuscript are selective collection of photo-generated charge carriers, surface defect passivation, and available light to the absorber layer, and have been conceived significantly [2,3,[31][32][33]. Hence, various researchers have performed multiple studies on these parameters.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Simulation of Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells for High Efficiency with Lithium Fluoride Electron Carrier Selective Layer

et al. 2020

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In this work, to ameliorate the quantum efficiency (QE), we made a valuable development by using wide band gap material, such as lithium fluoride (LiFx), as an emitter that also helped us to achieve outstanding efficiency with silicon heterojunction (SHJ) solar cells. Lithium fluoride holds a capacity to achieve significant power conversion efficiency because of its dramatic improvement in electron extraction and injection, which was investigated using the AFORS-HET simulation. We used AFORS-HET to assess the restriction of numerous parameters which also provided an appropriate way to determine the role of diverse parameters in silicon solar cells. We manifested and preferred lithium fluoride as an interfacial layer to diminish the series resistance as well as shunt leakage and it was also beneficial for the optical properties of a cell. Due to the wide band gap and better surface passivation, the LiFx encouraged us to utilize it as the interfacial as well as the emitter layer. In addition, we used the built-in electric and band offset to explore the consequence of work function in the LiFx as a carrier selective contact layer. We were able to achieve a maximum power conversion efficiency (PEC) of 23.74%, fill factor (FF) of 82.12%, Jsc of 38.73 mA cm−2, and Voc of 741 mV by optimizing the work function and thickness of LiFx layer.

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“…This is correlated with significant ohmic losses and a reduced efficiency on cell level. However, impressively high efficiencies of 23.1% are reported for SHJ solar cells with screen-printed contacts on large area [8]. Nevertheless, time-consuming thermal low-temperature curing comes along with high costs and large footprints of the curing devices.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Applicability of photonic sintering and autoclaving as alternative contact formation methods for silicon solar cells with passivating contacts

Schube¹,

Fellmeth²,

Maier³

et al. 2018

AIP Conference Proceedings

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Low-temperature processes for passivation and metallization of high-efficiency crystalline silicon solar cells

Cited by 53 publications

References 28 publications

Recent Progress in Understanding the Properties of the Amorphous Silicon/Crystalline Silicon Interface

Recent Progress in Understanding the Properties of the Amorphous Silicon/Crystalline Silicon Interface

Simulation of Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells for High Efficiency with Lithium Fluoride Electron Carrier Selective Layer

Applicability of photonic sintering and autoclaving as alternative contact formation methods for silicon solar cells with passivating contacts

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