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Texturization and rounded process of silicon wafers for heterojunction with intrinsic thin-layer solar cells

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Abstract

Heterojunction with intrinsic thin-layer (HIT) solar cells are sensitive to interface state density. Traditional texture process for silicon solar cells is not suitable for HIT one. Thus, sodium hydroxide (NaOH), isopropanol (IPA) and mixed additive were tentatively introduced for the texturization of HIT solar cells in this study. Then, a mixture including nitric acid (HNO3), hydrofluoric acid (HF) and glacial acetic acid (CH3COOH) was employed to round pyramid structure. The morphology of textured surface and the influence of etching time on surface reflectance were studied, and the relationship between etching time and surface reflectance, vertex angle of pyramid structure was analyzed. It was found that the mixture consisting of 1.1 wt% NaOH, 3 vol% IPA and 0.3 vol% additives with etching time of 22.5 min is the best for HIT solar cells under the condition of 80°C. Uniform pyramid structure was observed and the base width of pyramid was about 2–4 μm. The average surface reflectance was 11.68%. Finally the effect of different processes on the performance of HIT solar cells was investigated. It was shown that these texturization and rounding techniques used in this study can increase short circuit current (J sc), but they have little influence on fill factor (FF) and open circuit voltage (V oc) of HIT solar cells.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Optical and Electronic Information, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China

    Kunpeng Ma, Xiangbin Zeng & Qingsong Lei

  2. Shenzhen Institute of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518000, China

    Kunpeng Ma & Xiangbin Zeng

  3. Hisunpv Technology Co., Ltd, Hebei, 053000, China

    Qingsong Lei, Junming Xue, Yanzeng Wang & Chenguang Zhao

Authors
  1. Kunpeng Ma
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  2. Xiangbin Zeng
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  3. Qingsong Lei
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  4. Junming Xue
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  5. Yanzeng Wang
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  6. Chenguang Zhao
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xiangbin Zeng.

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Kunpeng MA, student, Huazhong University of Science and Technology. He studied in Changchun University of Science and Technology, and received the B.S. Degree in electronic science and technology, then studied in Huazhong University of Science and Technology for the M.Eng. Degree in microelectronics and solid state electronic. His research interests focus on a-Si thin film, wafer texturization and a-Si/c-Si heterojunction solar cells.

Xiangbin ZENG, professor, Huazhong University of Science and Technology. He studied in Xi’an JiaoTong University, and received the B.S. Degree in semiconductor physics and devices, then studied in Huazhong University of Science and Technology, and received the M.Eng. Degree in electronic materials and devices, and received the Ph.D. Degree in microelectronics and solid state electronics in the same university. From 1998 to 1999, as a visiting scholar, he worked at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong. From 2001 to 2003, as a Research Fellow, he worked at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. His research interests focus on ZnO thin film, AZO thin film, BZO thin film, Si nanometer, Si quantum dot and solar cells including c-Si, a-Si thin film, a-Si tandem, μ-Si thin film, Si quantum dot solar cell and a-Si/c-Si heterojunction solar cells.

Qingsong LEI, lecturer, Huazhong University of Science and Technology. He studied in Lanzhou University, and received the B.S. Degree in materials science, then studied in Lanzhou Institute of Physics, and received the M.Eng. Degree in physical electronics, and received the Ph.D. Degree in microelectronics and solid state electronics in Shanghai Jiao Tong University. His research interests focus on solar cells including c-Si, a-Si thin film, a-Si/a-Ge tandem, μ-Si thin film, and a-Si/c-Si heterojunction solar cells.

Junming XUE, chief engineer, Hebei Hisunpv Technology Co., Ltd. He studied in Chengdu University of Science and Technology, and received the B.S. Degree in applied physics, then studied in Nankai University, and received the M.Eng. Degree in theoretical physics, and received the Ph.D. Degree in microelectronics and solid state electronics in the same university. From 1999 to 2008, as an associate professor, he worked at Nankai University. His research interests focus on ITO thin film, ZnO thin film including electrode, ZnO/Al BSF and solar cells including c-Si, a-Si thin film, a-Si /a-Ge tandem, μ-Si thin film and a-Si/c-Si heterojunction solar cells.

Yanzeng WANG, engineer, Hebei Hisunpv Technology Co., Ltd. He studied in Hebei University of Technology, and received the B.S. Degree in electronic science and technology. From 2007 to 2009, as a process engineer, he worked at JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd. From 2009 to 2010, as technical support supervisor, he worked at Kerr semiconductor (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. From 2010 to 2012, as a senior engineer, he worked at Lightway Solar Co., Ltd. His research interests focus on screen print, a-Si thin film, wafer texturization and a-Si/c-Si heterojunction solar cells. Chenguang ZHAO, Engineer, Hebei Hisunpv Technology Co., Ltd. He studied in Hebei University of Science and Technology, and received the B.S. Degree in applied physics, then studied in Hebei University of Technology, and received the M.Eng. Degree in materials physics and chemistry. His research interests focus on ITO thin film, a-Si thin film, a-Ge thin film and solar cells including a-Si thin film, a-Si /a-Ge tandem, μ-Si thin film and a-Si/c-Si heterojunction solar cells.

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Ma, K., Zeng, X., Lei, Q. et al. Texturization and rounded process of silicon wafers for heterojunction with intrinsic thin-layer solar cells. Front. Optoelectron. 7, 46–52 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12200-013-0386-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12200-013-0386-y

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