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Chapter I-2-D - Thin Crystalline and Polycrystalline Silicon Solar Cells
Book chapter

Chapter I-2-D - Thin Crystalline and Polycrystalline Silicon Solar Cells

Michael G. Mauk
McEvoy's Handbook of Photovoltaics, pp 159-231
2018

Abstract

Crystalline silicon solar cell fabrication optical enhancement silicon film silicon layer transfer methods wafer thinning
Developments and progress in thin (~20 micron) monocrystalline and multicrystalline silicon solar cells for the last 10 years (2007 onward) are surveyed. Fabrication approaches include: (1) controlled wafer thinning for free-standing thin silicon cells, (2) silicon layer transfer methods that permit reuse of silicon substrates and include newer techniques employing formation of porous silicon or patterned surface regions to facilitate the release of a silicon layer for subsequent attachment to a surrogate substrate, and (3) various methods of recrystallizing silicon films deposited on glass using scanning laser or electron beams. Also a wide variety of optical enhancement schemes featuring nanostructured surfaces and nanoscale components achieving levels of optical absorption and photocurrents close to the theoretical maximum for crystalline silicon are reviewed. The required process engineering for translation from laboratory scale devices to manufacturable large-area solar cells that can compete with bulk silicon solar cells and up-and-coming thin-film solar cells will be challenging.

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