High efficiency back-contact back-junction thin-film monocrystalline silicon solar cells from the porous silicon process

Abstract

This work demonstrates the fabrication of a 45 μm thick back-contact back-junction thin-film monocrystalline silicon solar cell from the porous silicon process with an energy conversion efficiency of 18.9%. We demonstrate an efficiency improvement of 5.4% absolute compared to our prior record of 13.5% for back-contact back-junction thin-film monocrystalline silicon solar cells. This increase in efficiency is achieved by reducing the recombination at the base contact using a back surface field and by increasing the generation with a front texture. We investigate the loss mechanisms in the cell using finite element simulations. A free energy loss analysis based on experiments and simulations determines the dominating loss mechanisms. The efficiency loss by base recombination is 0.8% absolute and the loss by base contact recombination is 0.5% absolute in the 18.9% efficiency cell.