Monocrystalline-like silicon solar cells fabricated by wet and dry texturing processes for improving light-trapping effect

Abstract

Surface texturing techniques of crystalline silicon (Si) wafers are an effective and permanent method for increases in the conversion efficiency of solar cells by reducing reflection losses and improving light trapping effects compared to antireflection coatings such as hydrogenated silicon nitride (SiNx:H) thin films. In this study, monocrystalline-like Si surfaces were textured by acidic solutions followed by reactive ion etching (RIE). Also, we investigated the optical and electrical properties of Si surfaces prepared by different texturing processes. By using the acidic and RIE texturing processes for monocrystalline-like Si surfaces, we achieved open circuit voltage (Voc), short circuit current density (Jsc), fill factor (FF) and conversion efficiency as high as 633 mV, 36.7 mA/cm2, 77.5% and 18%, respectively, in a solar cell with an active surface area of 156 × 156 mm2 (243 cm2). Compared to the conventional acidic texturing, the acidic and RIE texturing of front Si surfaces improved the solar cell conversion efficiency of 0.9%. Therefore, the results indicate that large-area monocrystalline-like Si solar cells with high efficiency can be fabricated by standard wet chemical and additional RIE texturing processes.