Results on n-type IBC solar cells using industrial optimized techniques in the fabrication processing

AbstractBack-contact back-junction solar cell has the potential for high efficiency energy conversion due to the distinctive architecture of the device. The fabrication processing for these types of cells requires high material quality and complicated processing technology involving many masking and alignments steps which results in the increase of the manufacturing costs. Within the LIMA EU Project, we developed a novel process architecture for Interdigited-Back-Contact (IBC) front surface field (FSF) solar cells obtained by optimization of the fabrication process using only industrially feasible technology (i.e. screen-printing, laser ablation and conventional diffusion processes). With this process we have obtained cell efficiencies above 19% on n-type silicon 2x2cm2 float zone (FZ) substrate. Moreover, we have integrated this process with innovative methodology which opens new possible solution to the already well established techniques. This approach allowed us to improve the front side with excellent proprieties of passivation and conductivity and to implement interdigitated phosphorous back surface field (BSF) and boron emitter in a single mask process. The solar cells results of this improved front side are presented in comparison to the solar cells with IBC-FSF architecture