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Exfoliated ∼25μm Si Foil for Solar Cells with Improved Light-Trapping

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 February 2013

S. Saha ,
E. U. Onyegam ,
D. Sarkar ,
M. M. Hilali ,
R. A. Rao ,
L. Mathew ,
D. Jawarani ,
D. Xu ,
R. S. Smith  and
U. K. Das
...Show all authors
S. Saha
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78758.
E. U. Onyegam
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78758.
D. Sarkar
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611.
M. M. Hilali
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78758.
R. A. Rao
Affiliation:
AstroWatt, Inc.Austin, TX 78758
L. Mathew
Affiliation:
AstroWatt, Inc.Austin, TX 78758
D. Jawarani
Affiliation:
AstroWatt, Inc.Austin, TX 78758
D. Xu
Affiliation:
AstroWatt, Inc.Austin, TX 78758
R. S. Smith
Affiliation:
AstroWatt, Inc.Austin, TX 78758
U. K. Das
Affiliation:
Institute of Energy Conversion, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716
J. G. Fossum
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611.
S. K. Banerjee
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78758.
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Abstract

Investigation of optical absorption in ∼25μm thick, monocrystalline silicon (Si) substrates obtained from a novel exfoliation technique is done by fabricating solar cells with single heterojunction architecture (without using intrinsic amorphous silicon layer) with diffused back junction and local back contact. The ease of process flow and the rugged and flexible nature of the substrates due to thick metal backing enables use of various light-trapping and optical absorption enhancement schemes traditionally practiced in the industry for thicker (>120μm) substrates. Optical measurement of solar cells using antireflective coating, texturing on both surfaces, and back surface dielectric/metal stack as mirror to reflect the long wavelength light from the back surface show a very low front surface reflectance of 4.6% in the broadband spectrum (300nm-1200nm). The illuminated current voltage (IV) and external quantum efficiency (EQE) measurement of such solar cell shows a high integrated current density of 34.4mA/cm2, which implies significant internal photon reflection. Our best cell with intrinsic amorphous silicon (i-a-Si) layer with only rear surface textured shows an efficiency of 14.9%. EQE data shows improved blue response and current density due to better front surface passivation. Simulations suggest that with optimized light trapping and surface passivation, such thin c-Si cells can reach efficiencies >20%.

Keywords

photoreflectancephotovoltaicsimulation
Type
Articles
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1493: Symposium E/H – Photovoltaic Technologies, Devices and Systems Based on Inorganic Materials, Small Organic Molecules and Hybrids , 2013 , pp. 51 - 58
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2013 

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