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Comparison of p‐n junction and inversion‐layer silicon solar cells by means of experiment and simulation
Author(s) -
Aberle Armin G.,
Kuhlmann Burkhard,
Meyer Rüdiger,
Hübner Andreas,
Hampe Carsten,
Hezel Rudolf
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
progress in photovoltaics: research and applications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.286
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1099-159X
pISSN - 1062-7995
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1099-159x(199605/06)4:3<193::aid-pip118>3.0.co;2-s
Subject(s) - common emitter , passivation , silicon , silicon nitride , optoelectronics , materials science , inversion (geology) , solar cell , layer (electronics) , nanotechnology , geology , paleontology , structural basin
Inversion‐layer solar cells can be fabricated on crystalline silicon in a time‐ and energy‐efficient way. In this article we experimentally investigate inversion layer cells of the type developed in the 1980s at the University of Erlangen. The best cell has an independently confirmed one‐sun efficiency of 15.7%, the highest reported to date for this simple cell technology. In order to gain insight into the performance‐limiting mechanisms, these cells are compared to p‐n junction cells fabricated on identical substrates. Subsequently, the impact of the most important emitter parameters on the performance of both cell types is determined by means of two‐dimensional numerical modelling. These simulations reveal that inversion‐layer cells can principally produce the same efficiencies (> 23%) as p‐n junction cells, provided the emitter parameters are properly adjusted and the front contact is of a sufficiently high quality. Therefore, a research project is presently under way at ISFH aiming at an improvement of inversion‐layer cell efficiency above 18%. The basis for these new cells is the fact that silicon nitride films deposited at higher temperatures (∼400°C) demonstrate strongly improved passivation properties compared to the present 250° C silicon nitride films.