Polycrystalline silicon heterojunction thin-film solar cells on glass exhibiting 582 mV open-circuit voltage

• Published in: Solar energy materials and solar cells Vol. 115; pp. 7 - 10
• Main Authors: HASCHKE, J, JOGSCHIES, L, AMKREUTZ, D, KORTE, L, RECH, B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier 01.08.2013
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Contact; Crystallization; Direct energy conversion and energy accumulation; Electric potential; Electrical engineering. Electrical power engineering; Electrical power engineering; Energy; Exact sciences and technology; Heterojunctions; Natural energy; Photoelectric conversion; Photovoltaic cells; Photovoltaic conversion; Silicon; Solar cells; Solar cells. Photoelectrochemical cells; Solar energy; Thin films; Voltage; Performance evaluation; Silicon solar cells; Amorphous material; Short circuit currents; Absorbent material; Polycrystal; Glass; Electron beam; Amorphous silicon; Liquid phase; Fill factor; Open circuit voltage; Solar cell; Optical trapping; Single sided contacted system; Silicon carbide; Thin film cell; High efficiency; Silicon; Economic aspect; Cost analysis; Loss analysis; Cost lowering; Heterojunction
• ISSN: 0927-0248; 1879-3398
• DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2013.03.013

In this paper we present silicon heterojunction solar cells based on polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) prepared by electron-beam induced liquid phase crystallisation. A single sided contact system has been developed to tap the full potential of the heterojunction concept. Open-circuit voltages as high as 582 mV demonstrate the high potential of poly-Si absorber material. This is supported by a high pseudo fill factor of 80.5% as determined by Suns-VOC measurements. The still moderate best efficiency of 5.7% can be attributed to ohmic losses due to a broken front contact grid and to short circuit current densities not exceeding 16 mA cm-2. The latter are largely explained by the missing light-trapping scheme and by recombination losses in the absorber or at the burried SiC/Si interface. The results demonstrate that open-circuit voltages above 600 mV are in reach for poly-Si thin-film solar cells on glass, opening up exciting perspectives towards high efficiencies for a new type of potentially low cost silicon based thin-film solar cells.