Solar Cell Efficiency Tables (Version 39)

With a global market share of about 90%, crystalline silicon is by far the most important photovoltaic technology today. This article reviews the dynamic field of crystalline silicon photovoltaics from a device-engineering perspective. First, it discusses key factors responsible for the success of the classic dopant-diffused silicon homojunction solar cell. Next it analyzes two archetypal high-efficiency device architectures – the interdigitated back-contact silicon cell and the silicon heterojunction cell – both of which have demonstrated power conversion efficiencies greater than 25%. Last, it gives an up-to-date summary of promising recent pathways for further efficiency improvements and cost reduction employing novel carrier-selective passivating contact schemes, as well as tandem multi-junction architectures, in particular those that combine silicon absorbers with organic–inorganic perovskite materials.

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High-efficiency crystalline silicon solar cells: status and perspectives

The reduction in electronic recombination losses by the passivation of silicon surfaces is a critical enabler for high-efficiency solar cells. In 2006, aluminum oxide (Al2O3) nanolayers synthesized by atomic layer deposition (ALD) emerged as a novel solution for the passivation of p- and n-type crystalline Si (c-Si) surfaces. Today, high efficiencies have been realized by the implementation of ultrathin Al2O3 films in laboratory-type and industrial solar cells. This article reviews and summarizes recent work concerning Al2O3 thin films in the context of Si photovoltaics. Topics range from fundamental aspects related to material, interface, and passivation properties to synthesis methods and the implementation of the films in solar cells. Al2O3 uniquely features a combination of field-effect passivation by negative fixed charges, a low interface defect density, an adequate stability during processing, and the ability to use ultrathin films down to a few nanometers in thickness. Although various methods can be used to synthesize Al2O3, this review focuses on ALD—a new technology in the field of c-Si photovoltaics. The authors discuss how the unique features of ALD can be exploited for interface engineering and tailoring the properties of nanolayer surface passivation schemes while also addressing its compatibility with high-throughput manufacturing. The recent progress achieved in the field of surface passivation allows for higher efficiencies of industrial solar cells, which is critical for realizing lower-cost solar electricity in the near future.

/pdf/status-and-prospects-of-al2o3-based-surface-passivation-kquhly1a8k.pdf

Status and prospects of Al2O3-based surface passivation schemes for silicon solar cells

A salient characteristic of solar cells is their ability to subject photo-generated electrons and holes to pathways of asymmetrical conductivity—‘assisting’ them towards their respective contacts. All commercially available crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cells achieve this by making use of doping in either near-surface regions or overlying silicon-based films. Despite being commonplace, this approach is hindered by several optoelectronic losses and technological limitations specific to doped silicon. A progressive approach to circumvent these issues involves the replacement of doped-silicon contacts with alternative materials which can also form ‘carrier-selective’ interfaces on c-Si. Here we successfully develop and implement dopant-free electron and hole carrier-selective heterocontacts using alkali metal fluorides and metal oxides, respectively, in combination with passivating intrinsic amorphous silicon interlayers, resulting in power conversion efficiencies approaching 20%. Furthermore, the simplified architectures inherent to this approach allow cell fabrication in only seven low-temperature (≤200 ∘C), lithography-free steps. This is a marked improvement on conventional doped-silicon high-efficiency processes, and highlights potential improvements on both sides of the cost-to-performance ratio for c-Si photovoltaics. The use of doped-silicon contacts in silicon solar cells adds cost and complexity to the fabrication process. These issues can now be circumvented by using dopant-free carrier-selective interfaces on silicon, realized by alkali metal fluorides and metal oxides.

Efficient silicon solar cells with dopant-free asymmetric heterocontacts

Solar Cell Efficiency Tables (Version 40)

We present a both-sides-contacted thin-film crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cell with a confirmed AM1.5 efficiency of 19.1% using the porous silicon layer transfer process. The aperture area of the cell is 3.98 cm2. This is the highest efficiency ever reported for transferred Si cells. The efficiency improvement over the prior state of the art (16.9%) is achieved by implementing recent developments for Si wafer cells such as surface passivation with aluminum oxide and laser ablation for contacting. The cell has a short-circuit current density of 37.8 mA cm−2, an open-circuit voltage of 650 mV, and a fill factor of 77.6%. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

19%‐efficient and 43 µm‐thick crystalline Si solar cell from layer transfer using porous silicon

Using aluminum oxide (Al2O3) films deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD), the dominant passivation mechanisms at the c-Si/Al2O3 interface, as well as the chemical composition of the interface region, are investigated. The excellent surface passivation quality of thin Al2O3 films is predominantly assigned to a high negative fixed charge density of Qf = − (4 ± 1) × 1012 cm−2, which is located within 1nm of the Si/Al2O3 interface and is independent of the layer thickness. A deterioration of the passivation quality for ultrathin Al2O3 layers is explained by a strong increase in the interface state density, presumably due to an incomplete reaction of the trimethyl-aluminum (TMA) molecules during the first ALD cycles. A high oxygen-to-aluminum atomic ratio resulting from the incomplete adsorption of the TMA molecules is suggested as a possible source of the high negative charge density Qf at the Si/Al2O3 interface.

Electronic and chemical properties of the c-Si/Al2O3 interface

Organic-silicon heterojunction solar cells on n-type silicon wafers: The BackPEDOT concept

We characterize the electronic properties of crystalline silicon (c-Si)/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) junctions by means of contactless carrier lifetime measurements. The measurements demonstrate that this type of heterojunction has an unexpectedly high open-circuit voltage (Voc) potential exceeding 690 mV, making it relevant for the implementation into high-efficiency c-Si solar cells. Hybrid n-type c-Si solar cells featuring a PEDOT:PSS hole-transport layer on the front reach an energy conversion efficiency of 12.3%. We observe a humidity-related degradation in cell efficiency during storage in air. The degradation is reduced by capping the entire device by an atomic-layer-deposited aluminum oxide film and is completely avoided in a dehumidified environment.

Dimitri Zielke

Papers

19%‐efficient and 43 µm‐thick crystalline Si solar cell from layer transfer using porous silicon

Electronic and chemical properties of the c-Si/Al2O3 interface

Organic-silicon heterojunction solar cells on n-type silicon wafers: The BackPEDOT concept

Organic-silicon heterojunction solar cells: Open-circuit voltage potential and stability

Organic-silicon Solar Cells Exceeding 20% Efficiency