Prospect of the high efficiency for the VEST (via-hole etching for the separation of thin films) cell

Author

Deguchi, M. ; Kawama, Y. ; Matsuno, Y. ; Nishimoto, Y. ; Morikawa, H. ; Arimoto, S. ; Kumabe, H. ; Murotani, T.

Author_Institution

Semicond. Res. Lab., Mitsubishi Electr. Corp., Hyogo, Japan

Volume

2

fYear

1994

fDate

5-9 Dec 1994

Firstpage

1287

Abstract

The optimum design of the via-holes for the “VEST cell” (polycrystalline Si solar cell) was studied. Using a simple model, fill factors of the VEST cell were calculated. As for the via-hole distribution pattern, a square grid pattern was found to be most suitable from the view points of the cell performance and the ease of electrode design. It was found that a fill factor large enough (>0.79) for high efficiency can be obtained. A fabricated test cell showed the efficiency of 14.4%. Further Improvement (efficiency over 18%) is possibly expected

Keywords

elemental semiconductors; etching; semiconductor materials; semiconductor thin films; silicon; solar cells; 14.4 percent; Si; electrode design; fill factors; high efficiency; polycrystalline Si solar cell; square grid pattern; thin film solar cells; thin films separation; via-hole distribution pattern; via-hole etching; Conductivity; Contact resistance; Current density; Electrodes; Etching; Ohmic contacts; P-n junctions; Transistors; Virtual manufacturing; Voltage;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, 1994., Conference Record of the Twenty Fourth. IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference - 1994, 1994 IEEE First World Conference on

Conference_Location

Waikoloa, HI

Print_ISBN

0-7803-1460-3

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/WCPEC.1994.519965

Filename

519965