Recrystallized silicon thin-film solar cells on zircon ceramics

Abstract

This work describes the processing of recrystallized silicon thin-film solar cells and its typical defects. Zircon (ZrSiO4) ceramic substrates of technical grade with potential production costs of <; 20 €/m2 were used. Those substrates were encapsulated in crystalline silicon carbide, deposited by atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD). The active silicon layers were also formed using APCVD. Zone-melting recrystallization (ZMR) was used to enlarge Si grains. Si films crystallized on SiC show characteristic \u7f3 twin grain boundaries parallel to the growth direction. The Si crystals achieve widths up to several mm and lengths of several cm. Solar cells made from such material achieved open circuit voltages up to 566 mV on zircon and up to 600 mV on equally processed mc-Si

Liquid phase crystallized silicon on glass: Technology, material quality and back contacted heterojunction solar cells

“…28 and 29) for 3D integration in microelectronics or solar cells on high temperature substrates. 30,31) As no high energy density line sources were available, graphite strip heaters 32) or focused halogen lamps 33) were used. The lack of energy rendered the use of high scanning speeds impossible.…”

Recrystallized thin-film silicon solar cell on graphite substrate with laser single side contact and hydrogen passivation

“…Foreign substrate materials, such as ceramics [14][15][16] and graphite [17], are generally used for CSiTF cell fabrication with the high temperature approach. Schillinger et al [18] described a CSiTF cell concept on zircon ceramic substrates using ZMR reached 8.1% conversion efficiency. Graphite substrates can be processed at high temperature.…”