Piotr Panek

Reduction of surface reflectivity by using double porous silicon layers

Abstract The reduction of optical losses is one of the important factors to obtain high efficiency silicon solar cells. It is known that porous silicon can replace the antireflection coating and texturization of surfaces. In our work, we present investigation of double porous silicon (d-PSi) layer structure. The first macro porous layer was created in p-type mc-Si Baysix material. After n + –p junction formation by POCl 3 diffusion, the second porous silicon (PSi) layer in the upper part of n + emitter was made. We have obtained d-PSi structure with effective reflectance of 5.8%. Microstructure of PSi was determined by SEM and TEM investigations. The total reflectivity of the samples, as a function of the wavelength was measured using Perkin–Elmer Lambda spectrophotometer equipment with an integrating sphere.

Influence of screen printing parameters on the front metallic electrodes geometry of solar cells

Purpose – The paper aims to present results of investigations carried out on the front electrode of the solar cell. The front-side electrode for solar cells based on crystalline material is obtained by the screen printing method. Screen printing has been the prevailing method of electrode deposition because of its low cost. One of the ways to improve the cell efficiency and reduce the production costs is a further refinement of the metal electrode screen printing process. Design/methodology/approach – The researches were focused on the modification of mechanical parameters of screen printing process to ensure the best possible cross-section of the front electrode geometry. The main printing process parameters were constant, however, the print speed was variable. The obtained fine line of front contact was characterized morphologically – the dimension and geometry of the front contact cross-section – by scanning electron microscopy technique. Findings – The thin paths of 100 μm in width were screen printed...

Electrodeposition of thin metallic layer for solar cell electrodes

Purpose – The paper aims to show application of the electrochemically deposited coatings for thickening of the screen printed electric paths potentially applied in photovoltaic cells. Design/methodology/approach – The electric paths were screen printed with the use of silver-based paste. The paths were thickened by electrodeposition of thin copper layer in potentiostatic regime from surfactant-free plating bath. The morphology and surface quality of the paths were studied by imaging with scanning electron microscopy. Findings – The electric paths can be thickened successfully, but quality for the screen printed substrate determines quality of deposited layer. The EDX analysis confirmed that the deposited copper layer covered uniformly the printed paths. Research limitations/implications – The adhesion of the copper-covered path to the silicon wafer surface depends on adhesion of the original screen printed path. Originality/value – This paper confirms that electrodeposited copper can be applied for screen...

Crystalline silicon solar cells with high resistivity emitter

The paper presents a part of research targeted at the modification of crystalline silicon solar cell production using screen-printing technology. The proposed process is based on diffusion from POCl3 resulting in emitter with a sheet resistance on the level of 70 Ω/□ and then, shaped by high temperature passivation treatment. The study was focused on a shallow emitter of high resistivity and on its influence on output electrical parameters of a solar cell. Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) has been employed for appropriate distinguishing the total donor doped profile. The solar cell parameters were characterized by current-voltage characteristics and spectral response (SR) methods. Some aspects playing a role in suitable manufacturing process were discussed. The situation in a photovoltaic industry with emphasis on silicon supply and current prices of solar cells, modules and photovoltaic (PV) systems are described. The economic and quantitative estimation of the PV world market is shortly discussed.

Investigation of electrical performance of silicon solar cells with transparent counter electrode

Purpose – The purpose of this paper was the investigation of transparent conducting oxide (TCO) applied as an additional part of front metal electrode of crystalline silicon solar cell. Transparent conducting oxides are widely used as counter electrodes in a wide range of electronics and optoelectronics applications, e.g. flat panel displays. The most important optical and electrical requirements for TCOs are high optical transmittance and low resistivity. This low resistivity might invoke the possibility of increasing the distance between the fingers in the solar cell front electrode, thus decreasing the total area covered by metal and decreasing the shadowing loss. Design/methodology/approach – In the present work, thin films of indium-tin-oxide (ITO) as a transparent counter electrodes, were evaporated on the surface of silicon n+-p junction structures used in solar cells. The influence of the properties of ITO electrode on the electrical performance of prepared solar cells was investigated through opt...

Investigations of electrical and optical properties of functional TCO thin films

Abstract Transparent conducting oxide (TCO) films of indium-tin-oxide were evaporated on the surface of silicon wafers after phosphorous diffusion and on the reference glass substrates. The influence of deposition process parameters (electron beam current, oxygen flow and the substrate temperature) on optical and electrical properties of evaporated thin films were investigated by means of resistivity measurements and optical spectrophotometry. The performance of prepared thin films was judged by calculated figure of merit and the best result was obtained for the sample deposited on the substrate heated to the 100 °C and then removed from the deposition chamber and annealed in an air for 5 minutes at 400 °C. Refractive index and extinction coefficient were evaluated based on measured transmission spectra and used for designing of antireflection coating for solar cell. The obtained results showed that prepared TCO thin films are promising as a part of counter electrode in crystalline silicon solar cell construction.

Influence of the SiNx:H layer deposited by PECVD technique on the surface and grain boundary passivation of mc-Si

Purpose In this paper, we aim to investigate the influence of the hydrogenated silicon nitride layers deposited by a large area 13.56 MHz plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition system on the electrical activity of the surface and interfaces of the grains for solar cells fabricated on microcrystalline silicon and multicrystalline silicon. Design/methodology/approach The characterization of current-voltage parameters of 25 cm2 solar cells manufactured with different passivation and antireflective layers are presented. After spectral response measurements, external quantum efficiency was calculated, and the final results are shown graphically. The passivation effect concerning grain areas was evaluated more precisely by light-beam-induced current scan maps (LBIC). Findings The final impact of the type of passivation layer on surface and grain boundary photoconvertion in solar cells is determined. Originality/value The passivation effect concerning grain areas was evaluated more precisely by LBIC.

New kind of Cu based paste for Si solar cells front contact formation

Abstract Potential impact of copper replacing silver in the paste used for the front electrode fabrication in crystalline silicon solar cells was investigated. The copper was applied as a new CuXX component with about 2 wt.% to 6 wt.% share of XX modifier. The generated CuXX molecules were analyzed using transmission microscopy. Based on the commercial Du Pont PV19B paste, CuXX and XX materials, the new PV19B/CuXX paste with 51 wt.% share of Cu and the PV19B/XX paste with 51 wt.% share of XX only were developed. Comparative studies of the effect of the commercial PV19B paste made by DuPont Company, and the pastes with the CuXX component and with the modifier XX alone on the electrical parameters of solar cells produced on crystalline silicon were carried out. The solar cells were characterized by the current-voltage technique. As a final result, the Cz-Si solar cell with the 51 wt.% share of Cu in the front electrode having a series resistance of 0.551 Ω·cm2, an efficiency of 14.08 % and, what is more important, the fill factor of 0.716, was obtained. It is the best result ever obtained concerning direct Cu application for solar cells fabricated in thick-film technology.

Boron liquid solution deposited by spray method for p-type emitter formation in crystalline Si solar cells

This paper reports the fabrication of n-type crystalline Si based solar cell using boron liquid solution (BLS) deposited by spray method for p-type emitter formation. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used for the analysis of surface composition and electronic states of elements at the glass layer of dopant (GLD) obtained from BLS. The investigation of the borosilicate glass layer (BSG) created on a base of GLD during diffusion process were carried out by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The diffusion profiles were determined by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and electrochemical capacitance-voltage (EC-V) techniques, whereas the solar cells were characterized by the light current-voltage (I-V) and spectral measurements. The influence of a doping process on a minority carrier lifetime of the Si wafers was detected by quasi-steady-state photoconductance technique. Application of the elaborated BSL allowed to obtain the p-type Si emitters from BSG layer which exhibits unproblematic etching behaviour after diffusion process and final fabrication of the solar cells with the fill factor of 74% and photoconversion efficiency of 13.04 %. The elaborated BLS is a source which offers an attractive practicable alternative to form emitters on the n-type Si substrate.