16.6% efficient Silicon-FilmTM polycrystalline silicon solar cells

A 16.6% efficient Silicon-Film^TM solar cell has been demonstrated and verified on a one-square-centimeter device. This result was achieved with an improved blue response using an optimized low-temperature PECVD oxide passivation and reduced optical losses by the reduction of grid obscuration and front reflectance. Ongoing efforts have been centered on the material growth to better control grown-in impurities and defects, post-growth material enhancements to effectively remove impurities and passivate bulk defects, and device optimisations to further reduce device optical and electrical losses. Model calculations indicate that an efficiency over 18% is achievable if further optimizations in antireflection coating and improvements in minority carrier diffusion length can be effected