Laser processing for high-efficiency silicon solar cells

P. Engelhart

doi:10.1117/12.809990

24 February 2009 Laser processing for high-efficiency silicon solar cells

P. Engelhart

Proceedings Volume 7202, Laser-based Micro- and Nanopackaging and Assembly III; 72020S (2009) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.809990
Event: SPIE LASE: Lasers and Applications in Science and Engineering, 2009, San Jose, California, United States

Abstract

The main goal in PV research is a significant reduction of Watt-peak costs of PV systems and thus of solar cells. Innovative cell concepts including robust and reasonable process technologies are necessary to provide highest efficiencies and low process complexity. Laser technology with its excellent features for material machining offers many opportunities to make economical manufacturing processes feasible for solar cell production. To benefit from these advantages of laser technology the knowledge of methods for a relevant process characterization is required. This paper reviews experimental investigations of laser processes concerning laser related machining of silicon for PV application. The processes of interest are laser ablation of diffusion barriers and passivating dielectric layers from silicon surfaces to realize local contact openings. The impact of important laser source parameters, such as pulse energy, pulse duration and laser wavelength, on a silicon substrate in terms of crystal damage is investigated by means of contactless charge carrier lifetime measurements. From these measurements important conclusions can be drawn considering the final solar cell performance. This paper describes the extraction of relevant electrical parameters of laser treated silicon wafers like local saturation current densities deduced from lifetime measurements. These investigations allow the evaluation of different laser sources for the high-efficiency approach.

Citation Download Citation

P. Engelhart "Laser processing for high-efficiency silicon solar cells", Proc. SPIE 7202, Laser-based Micro- and Nanopackaging and Assembly III, 72020S (24 February 2009); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.809990

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