Daisuke Fujishima

High-efficiency HIT solar cells with a very thin structure enabling a high Voc

To increase the competitiveness of HIT (Heterojunction with Intrinsic Thin-layer) solar cells, we have been working on the enhancing their conversion efficiency. This time, we improved the heterojunction of the HIT solar cell, which made it possible to enhance the cell conversion efficiency. In addition, we have developed module technologies such as a new tab design and anti-reflection coated glass. By combining these technologies, we have achieved 240-W model with module conversion efficiency of 19.0%. Those HIT solar cells have the worlds highest level of cell conversion efficiency 21.6 % at the mass-production stage. We have also been investigating the performance of thinner HIT solar cell using crystalline silicon (c-Si) wafers less than 100 μm in thickness. To minimize optical losses, such as the ultraviolet light absorption in the front transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer and amorphous Si (a-Si) layers, and the near-infrared light absorption in the rear TCO layer, we have improved the deposition conditions of a-Si, and developed the TCO material respectively. To improve the surface passivation quality of the a-Si/c-Si heterointerface, we have examined our fabrication process from these three viewpoints: (1) the cleanliness of the c-Si surface, (2) the damage in the deposition process, and (3) the quality of the deposited a-Si layer. As a result, we have achieved an excellent Voc of 0.747 V with 58- and 75-μm-thick cells.

High-performance HIT solar cells for thinner silicon wafers

We have been researching and developing HIT (Heterojunction with Intrinsic Thin-layer) solar cells to obtain high conversion efficiency. Last year, we updated the worlds highest conversion efficiency, which was previously 22.3%, to 23.0% with a practical-sized HIT solar cell at the R&D stage. We have also been investigating the performance of thinner HIT solar cells using less than 100-µm-thick crystalline Si (c-Si) wafers in order to effectively reduce the production cost. By using improved technologies, we succeeded in gaining the high conversion efficiency of 22.8% in a HIT solar cell with a 98-µm-thick c-Si wafer and an excellent Voc of 743 mV at the R&D stage. The accomplishment of the 22.8% cell demonstrates that HIT solar cells are advantageous to the use of thinner Si wafers because of certain HIT solar cell features.