Improvements in silicon solar cell performance

Recent progress in silicon solar cell research at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) is discussed. In the high-efficiency cell area, effort has been directed at further understanding and improving the rear surface properties of PERL (passivated emitter, rear locally-diffused) cells. This has led to the demonstration of high energy conversion efficiency of 21.5% for a PERT (passivated emitter, rear totally-diffused) cell on an n-type substrate. Possibly the most noteworthy results have been obtained with a hybrid cell structure which combines the PERL cell with the laser-grooved, buried-contact cell. This hybrid structure has demonstrated 21.3% efficiency for 12 cm/sup 2/ cells and shows the potential for incorporating recent efficiency improvements into low-cost cells.<<ETX>>

[1]  Martin A. Green,et al.  Improved optical design for photovoltaic cells and modules , 1991, The Conference Record of the Twenty-Second IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference - 1991.

[2]  M. Green,et al.  Determination of minority carrier diffusivity in silicon from photoconductance decay , 1991, The Conference Record of the Twenty-Second IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference - 1991.

[3]  Martin A. Green,et al.  Present status of buried contact solar cells , 1991, The Conference Record of the Twenty-Second IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference - 1991.

[4]  M. Green Recent Advances in Silicon Solar Cell Performance , 1991 .

[5]  J. G. Summers,et al.  A High Efficiency Silicon Solar Cell Production Technology , 1991 .

[6]  M. Green,et al.  Improved value for the silicon intrinsic carrier concentration at 300 K , 1990 .

[7]  A. Blakers,et al.  High-efficiency silicon concentrator solar cell research , 1989 .

[8]  Richard M. Swanson,et al.  Front and back surface fields for point-contact solar cells , 1988, Conference Record of the Twentieth IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference.