Towards Ultimate Performance Silicon Solar Cells

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The Ultimate Performance Silicon Solar Cells project recognises that new solar cell structures and production processes have the potential to further reduce the cost and increase the performance of commercial photovoltaic (PV) solar cells.It is widely recognised this will be achieved by moving away from the use of silver- based contacts, improving the throughput of metal plating and reducing high temperature processing during manufacture.With silicon wafer prices dominating the cost of making most solar cells, finding innovative ways to facilitate the use of lower cost, less refined silicon without sacrificing performance could be highly significant.Key resultsFour key aspects of solar cell design and production processes were developed during this project:Eliminating the need for expensive microelectronics grade processing such as photolithography and pattern dielectric layers, by instead using laser processes to achieve the patterning;New processes, such as laser processing, were developed and optimised to pattern the rear dielectric layer to form localised rear contacts on the solar cell;Implementation of the new advanced hydrogenation technology into the solar cell design and fabrication to lower cost by transforming low cost, low quality silicon wafers into ones which are comparable in quality to expensive high- quality wafers.Replacement of expensive silver metal contacts with low cost copper plated contacts.Solar modules fabricated using this technology have achieved IEC certification. A production “blueprint” (commercialisation package) for the manufacture of these next generation solar cells using the new technologies has been developed to help ensure a smooth transfer of the technology to industry.

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