Loss Analysis and Performance Optimization Pathways of 729-mV Voc Si Solar Cells with Poly-Si on Locally-Etched Dielectric Passivating Contacts

In this article, the loss analysis of silicon solar cells with polysilicon on locally-etched dielectric passivating contacts with Voc=729.0 mV and efficiency=22.6% has been presented. Experimentally, nano-pinholes were introduced in SiOx (2.2 nm) and SiOx/SiNy (2.2 nm/8nm) stack using metal-assisted chemical etching (MACE). SunSolve and Quokka3 were used to simulate the experimental solar cell and investigate the optical and electrical power losses. Simulations suggest maximum power loss occurs due to recombination and resistive losses in the bulk (0.76 mW/cm2) followed by power loss due to rear contact recombination (0.35 mW/cm2). Recombination at the front surface also contributes to 0.24 mW/cm2. The effect of improving the bulk lifetime and lowering the recombination current density at the rear side on Voc, FF and hence, efficiency has been investigated. Further, advanced structures have been proposed to minimize recombination and parasitic absorption to achieve higher Voc and Jsc of the solar cells with locally-etched dielectric passivating contacts.

Suchismita Mitra and Caroline Lima Anderson and Matthew Hartenstein and William Nemeth and Matthew Page and San Thiengi and David Young and Sumit Agarwal and Paul Stradins

Conference Record of the IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference

2023

10.1109/PVSC48320.2023.10359856

9781665460590

01608371

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.