Radial junction silicon solar cells with micro-pillar array and planar electrode interface for improved photon management and carrier extraction

Singh, Vineet Kumar and Nagaraju, Jampana and Avasthi, Sushobhan (2019) Radial junction silicon solar cells with micro-pillar array and planar electrode interface for improved photon management and carrier extraction. In: CURRENT APPLIED PHYSICS, 19 (3). pp. 341-346.

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Abstract

We demonstrate radial p-n junction silicon solar cells with micro-pillar array with higher short-circuit current and open-circuit voltage than comparable planar silicon solar cells. Micro-pillar array, fabricated by RIE, acts as an effective anti-reflection coating for visible light with less than 6% reflection. Compared to devices with planar surface, devices with micro-pillar array show a 27% enhancement in short circuit current. The radial p-n junction of the micro-pillars also improves extraction probability of the photogenerated carriers, which further increases the short circuit current. Typically, micro-pillar solar cells suffer from high recombination losses at the Si/metal interface, resulting in poor V-oc. Our devices prevent these recombination losses by planarizing the Si/metal interface, leading to an open circuit voltage of 622 mV, the highest ever reported for micro-pillar solar cells. This planarized contact also reduces the series resistance associated with radial junctions, leading to series resistance of <= 0.50 Omega-cm(2) and fill factors up to 76.7%.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	CURRENT APPLIED PHYSICS
Publisher:	ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV
Additional Information:	Copyright of this article belongs to ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV
Keywords:	Radial p-n junction; Micro-structuring; Solar cell; Reflectivity; Lifetime
Department/Centre:	Division of Interdisciplinary Sciences > Centre for Nano Science and Engineering Division of Physical & Mathematical Sciences > Instrumentation Appiled Physics
Date Deposited:	23 Feb 2019 08:38
Last Modified:	23 Feb 2019 08:38
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/61805

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