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Efficiency Limitations of Multicrystalline Silicon Solar Cells Due to Defect Clusters

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Bhushan Sopori ,
Chuan Li ,
S. Narayanan  and
D. Carlson
Bhushan Sopori
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 1617 Cole Blvd., Golden, CO 80401
Chuan Li
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 1617 Cole Blvd., Golden, CO 80401
S. Narayanan
Affiliation:
BP Solar, Solarex Court, Fredrick, MD
D. Carlson
Affiliation:
BP Solar, Solarex Court, Fredrick, MD
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Abstract

Multicrystalline Si wafers used in commercial solar cell fabrication exhibit a tendency to form large “clusters” of defects, which remain laterally separated from each other. Defect clusters are also sites of impurity precipitation. Because precipitated impurities cannot be gettered by the conventional processes used in Si solar cell fabrication, defect clusters constitute low-performing regions in the cell. They shunt the device and constitute the primary efficiency limiting mechanism in current solar cells. We show that the efficiency loss caused by defect clusters can exceed 3–4 absolute points.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 864: Symposium E – Semiconductor Defect Engineering-Materials, Synthesis Structures and Devices , 2005 , E6.2
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2005

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References

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