A silicon carbide-based highly transparent passivating contact for crystalline silicon solar cells approaching efficiencies of 24%

Journal article (2021)

Authors

Malte Köhler Forschungszentrum Jülich, Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule
Manuel Pomaska Forschungszentrum Jülich
P.A. Procel Moya Electrical Sustainable Energy , University San Francisco de Quito, Photovoltaic Materials and Devices - EEMCS
R. Santbergen Electrical Sustainable Energy , Photovoltaic Materials and Devices - EEMCS
Andreas Lambertz Forschungszentrum Jülich
Weiyuan Duan Forschungszentrum Jülich
Alexander Eberst Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule, Forschungszentrum Jülich
Martina Luysberg Forschungszentrum Jülich
O. Isabella Photovoltaic Materials and Devices - EEMCS , Electrical Sustainable Energy
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Research Group
Photovoltaic Materials and Devices (EEMCS) (TU Delft)
Copyright: © 2021 Malte Köhler, Manuel Pomaska, P.A. Procel Moya, R. Santbergen, Andreas Lambertz, Weiyuan Duan, Alexander Eberst, Martina Luysberg, O. Isabella, More Authors
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-021-00806-9
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Published Date

2021

Language

English

Faculty

Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science

Department

Electrical Sustainable Energy

Research Group

Photovoltaic Materials and Devices

Abstract

A highly transparent passivating contact (TPC) as front contact for crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cells could in principle combine high conductivity, excellent surface passivation and high optical transparency. However, the simultaneous optimization of these features remains challenging. Here, we present a TPC consisting of a silicon-oxide tunnel layer followed by two layers of hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon carbide (nc-SiC:H(n)) deposited at different temperatures and a sputtered indium tin oxide (ITO) layer (c-Si(n)/SiO2/nc-SiC:H(n)/ITO). While the wide band gap of nc-SiC:H(n) ensures high optical transparency, the double layer design enables good passivation and high conductivity translating into an improved short-circuit current density (40.87 mA cm−2), fill factor (80.9%) and efficiency of 23.99 ± 0.29% (certified). Additionally, this contact avoids the need for additional hydrogenation or high-temperature postdeposition annealing steps. We investigate the passivation mechanism and working principle of the TPC and provide a loss analysis based on numerical simulations outlining pathways towards conversion efficiencies of 26%.