Technical Performance and Industrial Implementation in Favour of Centaurus Technology

AbstractCurrently leading crystalline solar cell technologies comprehend rear side passivation with local aluminium back surface field and dielectric reflection layer. For this purpose Centrotherm developed the centaurus technology, which is based on a rear side dielectric passivation and local aluminium BSF (LBSF) in combination with a laser diffused selective front side emitter. A major aspect of the developed technology is its compatibility for an upgrade of existing Al-BSF cell production lines and for turnkey lines as well. Moreover, the equipment required for the new technology is merely based on familiar technologies like wet etching, PECVD layer deposition, laser processing and screen printing. This conformity with common technologies and the simplicity and sustainability of their production implementation as well as the exceptional high cell efficiencies in production favour the new centaurus technology.In production average cell efficiencies well over 19% have been achieved and best cell efficiencies of 19.6% were reached. Under laboratory conditions average cell efficiencies of module ready centaurus solar cells with rear side Ag pads reached 19.7%, with best cell efficiencies up to 19.9%. These results clearly indicate that the centaurus technology is approaching module ready solar cell efficiencies of 20%. Assembled modules demonstrate the excellent power conversion of the centaurus solar cells. First environmental tests have been successfully passed