25.7% efficient PERC solar cell using double side silicide on oxide electrostatically doped (SILO-ED) carrier selective contacts: process and device simulation study

Abstract

Passivating contacts have recently considered as a superior carrier-selective contact approach for high-efficiency silicon-based photovoltaic (PV) devices. However, the conversion efficiencies of the silicon-based passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC) are limited by contact recombination losses that reduce their performance. Therefore, we investigated a new manufacturable silicide on oxide-based electrostatically doped (SILO-ED) carrier-selective contact to suppress the contact recombination losses and reduce the saturation current density (j0). For the first time, double side electrostatic doping is introduced to the PERC devices to form the carrier selective passivating contacts. First, a conventional PERC device was designed and the effects of surface recombination velocity (SRV) at both contacts were studied. After that, single and double SILO-ED based contacts are introduced into the device and a systematic analysis is performed to understand the tunneling phenomena and improve the conversion efficiency compared to existing PERC cells. The front SILO-ED based device with back contact SRV of 10 cm/s showed a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 25.4% with j0 (14.3 fA.cm-2). In contrast, the double SILO-ED device delivered 25.7% conversion efficiency by further suppressing the j0 to 11.8 fA.cm-2 by implementing SILO-ED approach with two different metal silicides such as Erbium silicide (ErSi2) and Palladium silicide (Pd2Si) on front and rear contact surface. The champion double SILO-ED PERC solar cell delivered a conversion efficiency of 25.7% with an open circuit voltage (VOC) of 742 mV. The results reported in this study would help to develop superior passivating contact-based PERC solar cells for higher efficiencies.

Drift–Diffusion Simulation of Intermediate Band Solar Cell: Effect of Intermediate Band Continuity Constraint

“…Our work demonstrated for the first time the appropriate band potential profile and the device performance for drift-diffusion based IBSC device simulation. All the results verified in this work will have significant impact on the proper device design of IBSC for better IB material candidate screening, efficiency improvement, optical management for both the III-V compoundbased IBSC as well as the emerging state of the art perovskite solar cell, perovskite-based IBSC, and other state-of-the art silicon-based photovlotaics [24][25][26][27][28].…”

“…Similar to Equation (28), by inserting E FI shown in Equation (32) into Equation (2), the carrier concentration n IB in the violated IB continuity constraint can be calculated. Finally, using n IB derived from Equation (32), the calculation converges through the self-consistent manner with the IB continuity constraint not being satisfied.…”

Simulated bending test analysis of 23% efficient lead-free flexible perovskite solar cell with different bending states

“…Therefore, there is a lot of interest in developing lead-free PSCs [4][5][6]. One area of particular interest is the development of flexible, lead-free PSCs, which offer the potential for lightweight and wearable devices that can be integrated into a wide range of applications [7][8][9]. Also, the ability to fabricate PSCs on flexible substrates opens up a wide range of potential applications such as in wearable electronics, portable power devices, and building-integrated PVs [10][11][12][13][14][15].…”

Performance enhancement of CsPbI3-xBrx perovskite solar cells via graded bandgap and affinity engineering

“…To overcome these challenges and meet the increasing energy demands, it is necessary to develop sustainable energy options [9][10][11][12]. Among these, renewable energy resources i.e., solar energy offer a solution to tackle this substantial demand without inflicting harm on our planet and harnessed through photovoltaic (PV) cells for direct electricity conversion stands out as the most abundant renewable energy source [13][14][15][16][17][18]. In recent eras, the rapidly advancing PV technology i.e., perovskite solar cell (PSC) emerges as the most auspicious contender [19][20][21].…”