https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/20137901004
Silicon heterojunction metal wrap through solar cells – a 3D TCAD simulation study
1 NaMLab gGmbH, Nöthnitzer Str. 64, 01187 Dresden, Germany
2 Institute for Semiconductor and Microsystems Technology, TU Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
Published online: 10 December 2014
Silicon heterojunction metal wrap through solar cells have the potential for high efficiencies in a simple process flow. However, the non-conformal deposition of the hydrogenated amorphous silicon emitter causes specific loss mechanisms of this cell concept. The emitter does not fully cover the inner via surface. As a consequence, the via surface is not passivated and the via metallization is in electrical contact with the silicon base. The resulting loss processes are determined in 3D TCAD simulations. While via related recombination losses are negligible even for highest surface recombination velocities, the resistive losses are found to be critical. The limit for the contact resistance between via metallization and silicon is in the range of 1 Ωcm2, depending on substrate doping and via diameter. Below this value, the cell performance significantly degrades. Finally, three different approaches for novel SHJ-MWT solar cells are discussed.
© Owned by the authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2014
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
