Approaches for reducing metallization-induced losses in industrial TOPCon solar cells
Minimizing carrier recombination in silicon solar cells is key to increase the conversion efficiency, as recombination affects both the fill factor and the open circuit voltage. Recombination at metal-semiconductor interfaces plays a crucial part in this, however, processing conditions which lead to...
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EDP Sciences
2025-01-01
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| Series: | EPJ Photovoltaics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.epj-pv.org/articles/epjpv/full_html/2025/01/pv20240064/pv20240064.html |
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| author | Mack Sebastian Ourinson Daniel Meßmer Marius Teßmann Christopher Krieg Katrin Benick Jan Huyeng Jonas D. Greulich Johannes Wolf Andreas |
| author_facet | Mack Sebastian Ourinson Daniel Meßmer Marius Teßmann Christopher Krieg Katrin Benick Jan Huyeng Jonas D. Greulich Johannes Wolf Andreas |
| author_sort | Mack Sebastian |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Minimizing carrier recombination in silicon solar cells is key to increase the conversion efficiency, as recombination affects both the fill factor and the open circuit voltage. Recombination at metal-semiconductor interfaces plays a crucial part in this, however, processing conditions which lead to low recombination, such as e.g., a low firing set temperature or the use of thick dielectrics, typically result in increased contact resistivities. Also, a too low firing set temperature leads to an incomplete hydrogenation of the interfaces. Recently, laser-enhanced contact optimization has been introduced to decouple recombination and contact properties to some extent, which allows for high fill factors and high open circuit voltages, and which explains the growing interest from manufacturers in that technology. We elucidate on the need for improved hydrogenation of interfaces, which contradicts the wish to decrease firing temperatures for reduced carrier recombination at metal-semiconductor interfaces. The implementation of an additional annealing step, e.g. in a tube furnace, after dielectric surface passivation is shown to lead to improved passivation properties so that the thermal budget during contact firing can be optimized to minimize contact resistivities. Overall, contact optimization allows for solar cell efficiencies of 24.1%, measured at an industrial cell tester, for a traditional approach without additional annealing step, and applying an AgAl front side metallization paste. A comparison of Ag and AgAl front side metallization pastes reveals a higher open circuit voltage for the Ag paste, at the drawback of an increased contact resistivity. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e274584cc6a44dc79f5c529e176b03be |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2105-0716 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | EDP Sciences |
| record_format | Article |
| series | EPJ Photovoltaics |
| spelling | doaj-art-e274584cc6a44dc79f5c529e176b03be2025-01-16T11:24:47ZengEDP SciencesEPJ Photovoltaics2105-07162025-01-0116510.1051/epjpv/2024050pv20240064Approaches for reducing metallization-induced losses in industrial TOPCon solar cellsMack Sebastian0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0030-3661Ourinson Daniel1Meßmer Marius2Teßmann Christopher3Krieg Katrin4Benick Jan5Huyeng Jonas D.6https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2735-8056Greulich Johannes7Wolf Andreas8Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISEFraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISEFraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISEFraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics IAFFraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISEFraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISEFraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISEFraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISEFraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISEMinimizing carrier recombination in silicon solar cells is key to increase the conversion efficiency, as recombination affects both the fill factor and the open circuit voltage. Recombination at metal-semiconductor interfaces plays a crucial part in this, however, processing conditions which lead to low recombination, such as e.g., a low firing set temperature or the use of thick dielectrics, typically result in increased contact resistivities. Also, a too low firing set temperature leads to an incomplete hydrogenation of the interfaces. Recently, laser-enhanced contact optimization has been introduced to decouple recombination and contact properties to some extent, which allows for high fill factors and high open circuit voltages, and which explains the growing interest from manufacturers in that technology. We elucidate on the need for improved hydrogenation of interfaces, which contradicts the wish to decrease firing temperatures for reduced carrier recombination at metal-semiconductor interfaces. The implementation of an additional annealing step, e.g. in a tube furnace, after dielectric surface passivation is shown to lead to improved passivation properties so that the thermal budget during contact firing can be optimized to minimize contact resistivities. Overall, contact optimization allows for solar cell efficiencies of 24.1%, measured at an industrial cell tester, for a traditional approach without additional annealing step, and applying an AgAl front side metallization paste. A comparison of Ag and AgAl front side metallization pastes reveals a higher open circuit voltage for the Ag paste, at the drawback of an increased contact resistivity.https://www.epj-pv.org/articles/epjpv/full_html/2025/01/pv20240064/pv20240064.htmltopconpassivating contactsrecombinationsolar cells |
| spellingShingle | Mack Sebastian Ourinson Daniel Meßmer Marius Teßmann Christopher Krieg Katrin Benick Jan Huyeng Jonas D. Greulich Johannes Wolf Andreas Approaches for reducing metallization-induced losses in industrial TOPCon solar cells EPJ Photovoltaics topcon passivating contacts recombination solar cells |
| title | Approaches for reducing metallization-induced losses in industrial TOPCon solar cells |
| title_full | Approaches for reducing metallization-induced losses in industrial TOPCon solar cells |
| title_fullStr | Approaches for reducing metallization-induced losses in industrial TOPCon solar cells |
| title_full_unstemmed | Approaches for reducing metallization-induced losses in industrial TOPCon solar cells |
| title_short | Approaches for reducing metallization-induced losses in industrial TOPCon solar cells |
| title_sort | approaches for reducing metallization induced losses in industrial topcon solar cells |
| topic | topcon passivating contacts recombination solar cells |
| url | https://www.epj-pv.org/articles/epjpv/full_html/2025/01/pv20240064/pv20240064.html |
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