Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 39-54 |
| Number of pages | 16 |
| Journal | Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells |
| Volume | 187 |
| Early online date | 27 Jul 2018 |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Dec 2018 |
Abstract
In the first part of this paper, we review the developments which led to the present state-of-the-art in the surface passivation of today's industrially predominant dopant-diffused crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cells, based on dielectric layers such as silicon oxide, silicon nitride, aluminum oxide and stacks thereof. In the second part of this review, we focus on the future developments in the field of c-Si solar cells based on carrier-selective passivation layers. Whereas the dielectric layers are insulating and are hence applied only for passivating the non-contacted areas of the silicon surface, the carrier-selective passivation layers are intended to provide an effective passivation of non-contacted as well as contacted areas of a c-Si solar cell, thereby increasing the efficiency potential of c-Si solar cells significantly. Due to the fact that the carrier-selective layers are implemented in a contact, besides the good passivation properties for minorities, these layers must also provide a good majority carrier transport, i.e. they have to provide a low contact resistance. Both properties, i.e. suppression of minority-carrier recombination as well as good majority-carrier transport, define the selectivity of the carrier-selective contact, which is an important figure of merit for the assessment and comparison of different types of carrier-selective contacts. One very promising type of carrier-selective passivation layer is based on heavily doped polycrystalline silicon layers deposited on a thin silicon oxide layer, the latter providing the excellent passivation while enabling efficient majority-carrier transport via pin-holes and/or tunneling. Moreover, we discuss metal oxides and conductive polymers, which have only recently been applied to c-Si photovoltaics, but seem to have a promising potential as low-cost selective contact materials. We finally compare combinations of the various options of carrier-selective layers concerning their combined selectivities and efficiency potentials.
Keywords
- Carrier-selective contacts, Silicon solar cells, Surface passivation
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Materials Science(all)
- Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
- Energy(all)
- Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
- Materials Science(all)
- Surfaces, Coatings and Films
Sustainable Development Goals
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In: Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Vol. 187, 01.12.2018, p. 39-54.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Surface passivation of crystalline silicon solar cells
T2 - Present and future
AU - Schmidt, Jan
AU - Peibst, Robby
AU - Brendel, Rolf
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2018 Elsevier B.V. Copyright: Copyright 2018 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2018/12/1
Y1 - 2018/12/1
N2 - In the first part of this paper, we review the developments which led to the present state-of-the-art in the surface passivation of today's industrially predominant dopant-diffused crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cells, based on dielectric layers such as silicon oxide, silicon nitride, aluminum oxide and stacks thereof. In the second part of this review, we focus on the future developments in the field of c-Si solar cells based on carrier-selective passivation layers. Whereas the dielectric layers are insulating and are hence applied only for passivating the non-contacted areas of the silicon surface, the carrier-selective passivation layers are intended to provide an effective passivation of non-contacted as well as contacted areas of a c-Si solar cell, thereby increasing the efficiency potential of c-Si solar cells significantly. Due to the fact that the carrier-selective layers are implemented in a contact, besides the good passivation properties for minorities, these layers must also provide a good majority carrier transport, i.e. they have to provide a low contact resistance. Both properties, i.e. suppression of minority-carrier recombination as well as good majority-carrier transport, define the selectivity of the carrier-selective contact, which is an important figure of merit for the assessment and comparison of different types of carrier-selective contacts. One very promising type of carrier-selective passivation layer is based on heavily doped polycrystalline silicon layers deposited on a thin silicon oxide layer, the latter providing the excellent passivation while enabling efficient majority-carrier transport via pin-holes and/or tunneling. Moreover, we discuss metal oxides and conductive polymers, which have only recently been applied to c-Si photovoltaics, but seem to have a promising potential as low-cost selective contact materials. We finally compare combinations of the various options of carrier-selective layers concerning their combined selectivities and efficiency potentials.
AB - In the first part of this paper, we review the developments which led to the present state-of-the-art in the surface passivation of today's industrially predominant dopant-diffused crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cells, based on dielectric layers such as silicon oxide, silicon nitride, aluminum oxide and stacks thereof. In the second part of this review, we focus on the future developments in the field of c-Si solar cells based on carrier-selective passivation layers. Whereas the dielectric layers are insulating and are hence applied only for passivating the non-contacted areas of the silicon surface, the carrier-selective passivation layers are intended to provide an effective passivation of non-contacted as well as contacted areas of a c-Si solar cell, thereby increasing the efficiency potential of c-Si solar cells significantly. Due to the fact that the carrier-selective layers are implemented in a contact, besides the good passivation properties for minorities, these layers must also provide a good majority carrier transport, i.e. they have to provide a low contact resistance. Both properties, i.e. suppression of minority-carrier recombination as well as good majority-carrier transport, define the selectivity of the carrier-selective contact, which is an important figure of merit for the assessment and comparison of different types of carrier-selective contacts. One very promising type of carrier-selective passivation layer is based on heavily doped polycrystalline silicon layers deposited on a thin silicon oxide layer, the latter providing the excellent passivation while enabling efficient majority-carrier transport via pin-holes and/or tunneling. Moreover, we discuss metal oxides and conductive polymers, which have only recently been applied to c-Si photovoltaics, but seem to have a promising potential as low-cost selective contact materials. We finally compare combinations of the various options of carrier-selective layers concerning their combined selectivities and efficiency potentials.
KW - Carrier-selective contacts
KW - Silicon solar cells
KW - Surface passivation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85050537610&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.solmat.2018.06.047
DO - 10.1016/j.solmat.2018.06.047
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85050537610
VL - 187
SP - 39
EP - 54
JO - Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells
JF - Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells
SN - 0927-0248
ER -