Structuring Interdigitated Back Contact Solar Cells Using the Enhanced Oxidation Characteristics Under Laser-Doped Back Surface Field Regions
V.V. Kuruganti (International Solar Energy Research Center (ISC))
O. Isabella (TU Delft - Photovoltaic Materials and Devices)
Valentin D. Mihailetchi (International Solar Energy Research Center (ISC))
More Info
expand_more
Other than for strictly personal use, it is not permitted to download, forward or distribute the text or part of it, without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), unless the work is under an open content license such as Creative Commons.
Abstract
Interdigitated back contact (IBC) architecture can yield among the highest silicon wafer-based solar cell conversion efficiencies. Since both polarities are realized on the rear side, there is a definite need for a patterning step. Some of the common patterning techniques involve photolithography, inkjet patterning, and laser ablation. This work introduces a novel patterning technique for structuring the rear side of IBC solar cells using the enhanced oxidation characteristics under the locally laser-doped n++ back surface field (BSF) regions with high-phosphorous surface concentrations. Phosphosilicate glass layers deposited via POCl3 diffusion serve as a precursor layer for the formation of local heavily laser-doped n++ BSF regions. The laser-doped n++ BSF regions exhibit a 2.6-fold increase in oxide thickness compared to the nonlaser-doped n+ BSF regions after undergoing high-temperature wet thermal oxidation. The utilization of oxide thickness selectivity under laser-doped and nonlaser-doped regions serves two purposes in the context of the IBC solar cell, first patterning rear side and second acting as a masking layer for the subsequent boron diffusion. Proof-of-concept solar cells are fabricated using this novel patterning technique with a mean conversion efficiency of 20.41%.
help_outline