Tutorial EN11—Silicon Photovoltaics—Device Concepts, Materials and Interfaces Engineering, Fabrication, Testing and Applications

Silicon and related thin films are applied widely in solar cells and other electronic devices. This comprehensive tutorial will introduce the processing methods, material properties, fundamental nature of interfaces and device engineering concepts. In Part I, the design rules of solar cells will be discussed. In Part II, the processing and properties of all materials and interfaces in a crystalline silicon solar cell will be reviewed. In Part III, the wide variety of high efficient crystalline silicon device architectures including their fundamental approaches to reduce the optical and electrical losses will be presented. In Part IV, the design schemes for modules, the characterization methods for performance and reliability, photovoltaic applications and their role in the energy transition will be discussed.

1:30 pm
Device Physics of Solar Cells
Arno H.M. Smets, Delft University of Technology

The important optical, electrical and thermodynamic design rules that determine both the losses and performance of the photovoltaic devices will be discussed. A description based on balancing photo-generation with recombination gives simple insight into the operation of all modern solar cells.

2:15 pm
Processing and Properties of Crystalline Silicon and Supporting Layers and the Nature of Their Interfaces
Arno H.M. Smets, Delft University of Technology

Processing of crystalline silicon and supporting layers like passivating materials (SiO₂, Al₂O₃, SiN_x, a-Si) are presented. The dependence of the material and interface properties on impurities, doping, crystal orientation, interstitials, defects, chemical and electrical passivation will be discussed.

3:00 pm BREAK

3:30 pm
Device Architectures for High Efficient Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells
Arno H.M. Smets, Delft University of Technology

The wide variety of crystalline silicon device architectures including their fundamental approaches to reduce the optical and electrical losses will be surveyed. This overview will include Al Back Surface Field solar cells, Partial Back Contact (PERC) solar cells, heterojunction junction solar cells (HJ/HIT), interdigitated back contact (IBC), tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon), bifacial solar cells and hybrid multijunction PV concepts.

4:15 pm
From Crystalline Silicon Cells to Reliable Modules: Characterization, Application and the Role of Photovoltaics in the Energy Transition
Arno H.M. Smets, Delft University of Technology

The different module interconnection and encapsulation schemes will be introduced. A short introduction on the important characterization tools for cells and modules will be given. Finally, residential up to large-scale utility applications and the role of crystalline silicon in the energy transition will be discussed.