Abstract
Solar cell industrial manufacturing, based largely on proven semiconductor processing technologies supported by significant advancements in automation, has reached a plateau in terms of cost and efficiency. However, solar cell manufacturing cost (dollar/watt) is still substantially higher than fossil fuels. The route to lowering cost may not lie with continuing automation and economies of scale. Alternate fabrication processes with lower cost and environmental-sustainability coupled with self-reliance, simplicity, and affordability may lead to price compatibility with carbon-based fuels. In this paper, a custom-designed formulation of phosphoric acid has been investigated, for n-type doping in p-type substrates, as a function of concentration and drive-in temperature. For post-diffusion surface passivation and anti-reflection, thermally-grown oxide films in 50–150-nm thickness were grown. These fabrication methods facilitate process simplicity, reduced costs, and environmental sustainability by elimination of poisonous chemicals and toxic gases (POCl3, SiH4, NH3). Simultaneous fire-through contact formation process based on screen-printed front surface Ag and back surface through thermally grown oxide films was optimized as a function of the peak temperature in conveyor belt furnace. Highest efficiency solar cells fabricated exhibited efficiency of ∼13%. Analysis of results based on internal quantum efficiency and minority carried measurements reveals three contributing factors: high front surface recombination, low minority carrier lifetime, and higher reflection. Solar cell simulations based on PC1D showed that, with improved passivation, lower reflection, and high lifetimes, efficiency can be enhanced to match with commercially-produced PECVD SiN-coated solar cells.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 2183-2193 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Results in Physics |
| Volume | 7 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2017 |
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Keywords
- Crystalline Si solar cells
- Phosphoric acid spin-on doping
- Screen printing
- Thermal oxide passivation
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Physics and Astronomy(all)
Cite this
In-depth investigation of spin-on doped solar cells with thermally grown oxide passivation. / Ahmad, Samir Mahmmod; Cheow, Siu Leong; Ahmad Ludin, Norasikin; Sopian, Kamaruzzaman; Zaidi, Saleem H.
In: Results in Physics, Vol. 7, 2017, p. 2183-2193.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - In-depth investigation of spin-on doped solar cells with thermally grown oxide passivation
AU - Ahmad, Samir Mahmmod
AU - Cheow, Siu Leong
AU - Ahmad Ludin, Norasikin
AU - Sopian, Kamaruzzaman
AU - Zaidi, Saleem H.
PY - 2017
Y1 - 2017
N2 - Solar cell industrial manufacturing, based largely on proven semiconductor processing technologies supported by significant advancements in automation, has reached a plateau in terms of cost and efficiency. However, solar cell manufacturing cost (dollar/watt) is still substantially higher than fossil fuels. The route to lowering cost may not lie with continuing automation and economies of scale. Alternate fabrication processes with lower cost and environmental-sustainability coupled with self-reliance, simplicity, and affordability may lead to price compatibility with carbon-based fuels. In this paper, a custom-designed formulation of phosphoric acid has been investigated, for n-type doping in p-type substrates, as a function of concentration and drive-in temperature. For post-diffusion surface passivation and anti-reflection, thermally-grown oxide films in 50–150-nm thickness were grown. These fabrication methods facilitate process simplicity, reduced costs, and environmental sustainability by elimination of poisonous chemicals and toxic gases (POCl3, SiH4, NH3). Simultaneous fire-through contact formation process based on screen-printed front surface Ag and back surface through thermally grown oxide films was optimized as a function of the peak temperature in conveyor belt furnace. Highest efficiency solar cells fabricated exhibited efficiency of ∼13%. Analysis of results based on internal quantum efficiency and minority carried measurements reveals three contributing factors: high front surface recombination, low minority carrier lifetime, and higher reflection. Solar cell simulations based on PC1D showed that, with improved passivation, lower reflection, and high lifetimes, efficiency can be enhanced to match with commercially-produced PECVD SiN-coated solar cells.
AB - Solar cell industrial manufacturing, based largely on proven semiconductor processing technologies supported by significant advancements in automation, has reached a plateau in terms of cost and efficiency. However, solar cell manufacturing cost (dollar/watt) is still substantially higher than fossil fuels. The route to lowering cost may not lie with continuing automation and economies of scale. Alternate fabrication processes with lower cost and environmental-sustainability coupled with self-reliance, simplicity, and affordability may lead to price compatibility with carbon-based fuels. In this paper, a custom-designed formulation of phosphoric acid has been investigated, for n-type doping in p-type substrates, as a function of concentration and drive-in temperature. For post-diffusion surface passivation and anti-reflection, thermally-grown oxide films in 50–150-nm thickness were grown. These fabrication methods facilitate process simplicity, reduced costs, and environmental sustainability by elimination of poisonous chemicals and toxic gases (POCl3, SiH4, NH3). Simultaneous fire-through contact formation process based on screen-printed front surface Ag and back surface through thermally grown oxide films was optimized as a function of the peak temperature in conveyor belt furnace. Highest efficiency solar cells fabricated exhibited efficiency of ∼13%. Analysis of results based on internal quantum efficiency and minority carried measurements reveals three contributing factors: high front surface recombination, low minority carrier lifetime, and higher reflection. Solar cell simulations based on PC1D showed that, with improved passivation, lower reflection, and high lifetimes, efficiency can be enhanced to match with commercially-produced PECVD SiN-coated solar cells.
KW - Crystalline Si solar cells
KW - Phosphoric acid spin-on doping
KW - Screen printing
KW - Thermal oxide passivation
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85030541371&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.rinp.2017.06.044
DO - 10.1016/j.rinp.2017.06.044
M3 - Article
VL - 7
SP - 2183
EP - 2193
JO - Results in Physics
JF - Results in Physics
SN - 2211-3797
ER -