Bernd Steinhauser
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View article: Plasma-Assisted N2O Oxidation (PANO) in an Industrial Direct Plasma Reactor for TOPCon Production
Plasma-Assisted N2O Oxidation (PANO) in an Industrial Direct Plasma Reactor for TOPCon Production Open
Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) is an attractive tool for TOPCon production, as it enables uniformly in situ doped amorphous silicon (a-Si) and dielectric layer depositions with high throughput. However, a lean process re…
View article: Quantifying Surface Recombination—Improvements in Determination and Simulation of the Surface Recombination Parameter <i>J</i> <sub>0</sub> <i> <sub>s</sub> </i>
Quantifying Surface Recombination—Improvements in Determination and Simulation of the Surface Recombination Parameter <i>J</i> <sub>0</sub> <i> <sub>s</sub> </i> Open
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View article: Rear-junction n-type cell concept utilizing PERC process sequence on epitaxially-grown base and emitter
Rear-junction n-type cell concept utilizing PERC process sequence on epitaxially-grown base and emitter Open
PERC is the most common cell type in today’s fabrication of crystalline Si solar cells. However, the cell design is often limited by the compromise for the front side between lateral conductivity, contact resistivity and recombination. In …
View article: Annealing and firing stability of in situ Boron-doped poly-Si passivating contacts
Annealing and firing stability of in situ Boron-doped poly-Si passivating contacts Open
This paper focusses onto the first successful realization of an industry-relevant in situ B-doped direct-plasma PECVD process for p-type TOPCon as well as the fundamental understanding of the junction’s working principle. A key element in …
View article: Passivating dopant sources for high-efficiency n-type silicon solar cells
Passivating dopant sources for high-efficiency n-type silicon solar cells Open
Passivated emitter and rear locally diffused silicon solar cells have proven to offer a high efficiency potential, but there were doubts about the industrial feasibility due to the complex structuring being required for device fabrication.…
View article: Epitaxially Grown p‐type Silicon Wafers Ready for Cell Efficiencies Exceeding 25%
Epitaxially Grown p‐type Silicon Wafers Ready for Cell Efficiencies Exceeding 25% Open
Combining the advantages of a high‐efficiency solar cell concept and a low carbon footprint base material is a promising approach for highly efficient, sustainable, and cost‐effective solar cells. In this work, we investigate the suitabili…
View article: Simultaneous Boron Emitter Diffusion and Annealing of Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contacts Via Rapid Vapor-Phase Direct Doping
Simultaneous Boron Emitter Diffusion and Annealing of Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contacts Via Rapid Vapor-Phase Direct Doping Open
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View article: Investigation of the Defect Distribution of Laser Contact Opening Applied to Poly‐Si/SiN<sub>x</sub>Stacks
Investigation of the Defect Distribution of Laser Contact Opening Applied to Poly‐Si/SiN<sub>x</sub>Stacks Open
Herein, an analysis on the impact of laser contact opening of TOPCon/SiN x stacks is presented. By etching in tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH), the defect distribution in the interfacial tunnel oxide is accessed and analyzed. The defec…
View article: Plating metallization for bifacial i-TOPCon silicon solar cells
Plating metallization for bifacial i-TOPCon silicon solar cells Open
This work investigates in detail plating of Ni/Cu/Ag contacts as an alternative metallization approach for industrial bifacial tunneling oxide and passivating contacts (i-TOPCon) silicon solar cells. We have achieved a 23.3 % champion cell…
View article: Silicon‐based passivating contacts: The TOPCon route
Silicon‐based passivating contacts: The TOPCon route Open
Passivating contacts based on poly‐Si/SiO x structures also known as TOPCon (tunnel oxide passivated contacts) have a great potential to improve the efficiency of crystalline silicon solar cells, resulting in more than 26% and 24% for labo…
View article: Progress of plated metallization for industrial bifacial TOPCon silicon solar cells
Progress of plated metallization for industrial bifacial TOPCon silicon solar cells Open
Industrial tunnel oxide and passivated contact (i‐TOPCon) solar cells were metallized at Fraunhofer ISE using ultrashort pulse laser ablation of the passivation layers for the subsequent Ni/Cu/Ag plating process. The solar cells feature a …
View article: TOPCon Silicon Solar Cells With Selectively Doped PECVD Layers Realized by Inkjet-Printing of Phosphorus Dopant Sources
TOPCon Silicon Solar Cells With Selectively Doped PECVD Layers Realized by Inkjet-Printing of Phosphorus Dopant Sources Open
Digital, additive printing processes are increasingly used to produce electronic components due to their cost-saving opportunities and flexibility in design, compared to established thin-film technologies. Inkjet compatible materials like …
View article: Extraordinarily High Minority Charge Carrier Lifetime Observed in Crystalline Silicon
Extraordinarily High Minority Charge Carrier Lifetime Observed in Crystalline Silicon Open
Recent progress in surface passivation technology and wafer pretreatment already resulted in significant improvements in the achievable minority charge carrier lifetime of crystalline silicon. Herein, this is further exemplified by studyin…
View article: Influence of Plasma‐Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition Poly‐Si Layer Thickness on the Wrap‐Around and the Quantum Efficiency of Bifacial <i>n</i>‐TOPCon (Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact) Solar Cells
Influence of Plasma‐Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition Poly‐Si Layer Thickness on the Wrap‐Around and the Quantum Efficiency of Bifacial <i>n</i>‐TOPCon (Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact) Solar Cells Open
In typical industrial processing of tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) solar cells, poly‐Si is deposited on the entire back of the cells. During the deposition process, a wrap‐around of poly‐Si onto the edges and the front side of th…
View article: Direct Contact Electroplating Sequence Without Initial Seed Layer for Bifacial TOPCon Solar Cell Metallization
Direct Contact Electroplating Sequence Without Initial Seed Layer for Bifacial TOPCon Solar Cell Metallization Open
The metallization of bifacial tunneling oxide and passivating contacts (TOPCon) solar cells without initial metal seed layer by electroplating of Ni/Cu/Ag is demonstrated. The presented approach allows a lead-free metallization with narrow…
View article: On the Influence of the Sample Properties on the Measurement of the Implied Open-Circuit Voltage
On the Influence of the Sample Properties on the Measurement of the Implied Open-Circuit Voltage Open
The implied voltage iVOC is a popular parameter for the electronic quality of solar cell test samples. It is used to characterize properties like the passivation quality of surface coatings. While iVOC fundamentally depends on the sample p…
View article: A round Robin-Highliting on the passivating contact technology
A round Robin-Highliting on the passivating contact technology Open
The aim of this work is to demonstrate the maturity of the TOPCon technology by conducting a round-robin on symmetrically processed lifetime samples in the leading European PV institutes EPFL, ISC, CEA-INES, ISFH, IMEC and Fraunhofer ISE w…
View article: Laser Ablation and Ni/Cu Plating Approach for Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contacts Solar Cells with Variate Polysilicon Layer Thickness: Gains and Possibilities in Comparison to Screen Printing
Laser Ablation and Ni/Cu Plating Approach for Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contacts Solar Cells with Variate Polysilicon Layer Thickness: Gains and Possibilities in Comparison to Screen Printing Open
Herein, an alternative approach of metallization on tunnel oxide passivated contacts (TOPCon) devices, through the method of localized laser ablation and nickel–copper plating, is presented. The method is demonstrated to be a viable and ef…
View article: On the Influence of the SiN<sub><i>x</i></sub> Composition on the Firing Stability of Poly‐Si/SiN<sub><i>x</i></sub> Stacks
On the Influence of the SiN<sub><i>x</i></sub> Composition on the Firing Stability of Poly‐Si/SiN<sub><i>x</i></sub> Stacks Open
Industrial TOPCon cells commonly feature a TOPCon/SiN x stack for the passivation at the rear. In this layer stack system, the SiN x needs to function as a hydrogen source during the firing step to ensure a good passivation after firing. H…
View article: Laser Metal Bonding (LMB) - low impact joining of thin aluminum foil to silicon and silicon nitride surfaces
Laser Metal Bonding (LMB) - low impact joining of thin aluminum foil to silicon and silicon nitride surfaces Open
We present the design, implementation and optimization of laser metal bonding (LMB), a new approach for joining thin aluminum foils and back surfaces of solar cells with a focus on low impact on the semiconductor and good adhesion. After g…
View article: Industrial TOPCon Solar Cells Realized by a PECVD Tube Process
Industrial TOPCon Solar Cells Realized by a PECVD Tube Process Open
These days low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) is commonly used by the photovoltaic industry to deposit Si layers for tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon). This work summarizes the development of an alternative TOPCon deposi…
View article: Simultaneous Boron Emitter Diffusion and Crystallization of TOPCon Layers via Rapid Vapour-Phase Direct Doping
Simultaneous Boron Emitter Diffusion and Crystallization of TOPCon Layers via Rapid Vapour-Phase Direct Doping Open
The alternative boron emitter diffusion process rapid vapour phase direct doping (B-RVD) is applied to n-type silicon wafers with tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) rear sides. A variation of the B-RVD process parameters led to an in…
View article: Both Sides Contacted Silicon Solar Cells: Options for Approaching 26% Efficiency
Both Sides Contacted Silicon Solar Cells: Options for Approaching 26% Efficiency Open
Recently, we demonstrated an efficiency of 25.8% for a both sides contacted silicon solar cell. These cells were realized on n-type Si featuring a boron-doped p+ emitter at the front surface and a full-area tunnel oxide passivating contact…
View article: Inline deposited PassDop layers for rear side passivation and contacting of p-type c-Si PERL solar cells with high bifaciality
Inline deposited PassDop layers for rear side passivation and contacting of p-type c-Si PERL solar cells with high bifaciality Open
We investigate stacks of aluminum oxide (Al2O3) and boron-doped silicon nitride (SiNX:B) layers for the rear side passivation and local doping of p-type silicon solar cell samples aiming for the realization of bifacial passivated emitter a…
View article: Large Area TOPCon Cells Realized by a PECVD Tube Process
Large Area TOPCon Cells Realized by a PECVD Tube Process Open
TOPCon is an appealing choice for next-generation solar cells as it minimizes surface recombination, enables low contact resistivities, and provides high thermal stability thereby rendering it compatible with screen-printed metallization. …
View article: Study on the interfacial oxide in passivating contacts
Study on the interfacial oxide in passivating contacts Open
This paper discusses how differently grown ultra-thin interfacial oxide of poly-Si based passivating contacts correspond to high-temperature annealing as well as its sensitivity to hydrogenation. It will be shown on symmetrical lifetime sa…
View article: Plated Ni/Cu/Ag for TOPCon Solar Cell Metallization
Plated Ni/Cu/Ag for TOPCon Solar Cell Metallization Open
Passivating Contacts is the next step in reducing recombination effects and improving c-Si solar cell efficiency. This work demonstrates the application of laser structuring and Ni/Cu/Ag electroplating as a new method to metallize solar ce…