Investigation of the Effect of Resistivity and Thickness on the Performance of Cast Multicrystalline Silicon Solar Cells

Sheoran, Manav; Upadhyaya, Ajay; Rounsaville, Brian; Rohatgi, A.; Narayanan, S.

doi:10.1109/wcpec.2006.279654

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…Previous studies including or focusing on simulations of the optimal base resistivity of silicon solar cells do not consider and compare different cell architectures and their particular effects. They are mostly based on simple one‐dimensional cell structures (n + ‐p‐p + ) using 1D simulation tools such as PC1D (in Refs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Comprehensive simulation study of industrially relevant silicon solar cell architectures for an optimal material parameter choice

Steinkemper

Hermle

Glunz

2016

Prog. Photovolt: Res. Appl.

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Solar cell production always requires a tradeoff between cell efficiency and production costs. This also concerns the choice of the silicon base material. In general, a long base lifetime is beneficial to achieve high conversion efficiency, but it strongly depends on the cell concept to which extent the cell performance is improved and whether a payback of the higher material costs can be expected. Therefore, in this comprehensive simulation study of various industrially relevant solar cell architectures, we present an investigation of the influence of the bulk lifetime and the resistivity of the base material on the cell performance. A consistent set of cell and simulation parameters is chosen to allow for a direct quantitative comparison of the different cell types. The parameters were chosen rather conservatively in order to describe realistic industrial cells and not record laboratory cells. The observed trends are analyzed using detailed loss breakdowns and are compared with experimental results. For various cell concepts, critical lifetimes τcrit can be observed for which the optimal material parameters change with increasing bulk lifetime when comparing materials of different base resistivity. The underlying physical reasons are explained in detail to accomplish two major aims: (i) generating a better understanding of limitations and challenges concerning different solar cell concepts and (ii) serving as a guide for an optimal material parameter choice for different cell architectures

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…They are mostly based on simple one‐dimensional cell structures (n + ‐p‐p + ) using 1D simulation tools such as PC1D (in Refs. ) or SCAPS (in Ref. ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comprehensive simulation study of industrially relevant silicon solar cell architectures for an optimal material parameter choice

Steinkemper

Hermle

Glunz

2016

Prog. Photovolt: Res. Appl.

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show abstract

“…A material with low resistivity of 0.2-0.3 Ω.cm has been shown to produce high quality single crystal silicon solar cells. However, for lower quality cast mc-Si, this optimum resistivity increases owing to a dopant-defect interaction, which reduces the bulk lifetime at lower resistivity [82]. Bulk resistivity of 1-5 Ω.cm is commonly seen in solar cells.…”

Section: Charge Carrier Lifetimementioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of impurities in the Brazilian solar grade silicon and LeTID investigations in p-type multi-Si

Knob¹

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KNOB, D. Evaluation of impurities of the Brazilian solar grade silicon and LeTID investigations in p-type multi-Si. 2019. 119 p. Thesis (Doctorate in Nuclear Technology-Materials)-Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares-IPEN-CNEN/SP. São Paulo The cost reductions and the environmental benefits aligned with global concerns about climate change have made solar photovoltaic technology the most installed source of energy in the power sector worldwide. Brazil has the largest know reserves of silicon in the world. Therefore, there is a huge potential for developing a national technology for purifying and manufacturing silicon wafers within an increasingly competitive and efficient photovoltaic industry. The IPEN initiative of investigating the production of metallic silicon and metallurgical route purification required a characterization of samples in different stages of production from quartz to wafer and understanding the characterization methods for silicon wafers taking into account the main defect mechanisms such as light-induced degradation. Metalic silicon is produced in IPEN via magnesiothermal reduction through acid leaching to form a metallurgical grade silicon with relatively low impurities. One more acid leaching step resulted in a specific ultrametallurgical grade silicon. The same acid leaching was processed in a commercially available Brazilian-made metallurgical grade silicon produced via carbothermal reduction. All samples impurities was measured by ICP-OES. The result is a material with ultra-metallurgical grade silicon content with excess of B and P. While wafer characterization was studied, an extensive investigation was taken on LeTID, which causes remain unknown, at Institute for Energy Technology, Norway. Neighboring high performance mc-Si p-type wafers were tested in different firing process conditions. The effects was investigated in terms of defects activation and a corresponding lifetime degradation and recovery at illuminated annealing. A sample with almost fully suppressed LeTID is shown. A new method have been proposed to separate Boron Oxygen-Light Induced Degradation effects of LeTID, enabling to measure even where it was thought to be fully suppressed. New models for LeTID defect formation and suppression are proposed. Both silicon purification and light-induced degradation characterization in mc-Si studies shows a wide range of research on new production routes that may require tailored processes of crystallization and solar cell manufacturing such as gettering and firing.

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Bulk lifetime and efficiency enhancement due to gettering and hydrogenation of defects during cast multicrystalline silicon solar cell fabrication

Sheoran

Upadhyaya

Rohatgi

2008

Solid-State Electronics

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Investigation of the Effect of Resistivity and Thickness on the Performance of Cast Multicrystalline Silicon Solar Cells

Cited by 4 publications

References 9 publications

Comprehensive simulation study of industrially relevant silicon solar cell architectures for an optimal material parameter choice

Comprehensive simulation study of industrially relevant silicon solar cell architectures for an optimal material parameter choice

Evaluation of impurities in the Brazilian solar grade silicon and LeTID investigations in p-type multi-Si

Bulk lifetime and efficiency enhancement due to gettering and hydrogenation of defects during cast multicrystalline silicon solar cell fabrication

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