A new generation of industrial crystalline silicon solar cells based on the OECO technology

Recently with the novel OECO (obliquely evaporated contacts) technology efficiencies exceeding 20% could be achieved, the highest values ever reported for large area silicon solar cells fabricated without photolithography. In the present work first the status of the front-contacted standard OECO solar cell, which is currently in a pilot line test, is addressed. In a second novel approach the OECO principle is also applied for the rear side to obtain bifacial sensitivity. As the third high efficiency OECO type device the BACK OECO solar cell with both contacts on the rear side including bifacial sensitivity is introduced. First very encouraging results of the bifacial OECO cells will be presented and their potential for very high efficiencies is discussed.