The choice of silicon wafer for the production of low-cost rear-contact solar cells

Keith R. McIntosh; Michael J. Cudzinovic; David D. Smith; William P. Mulligan; Richard M. Swanson

The choice of silicon wafer for the production of low-cost rear-contact solar cells

Keith R. McIntosh^*, Michael J. Cudzinovic, David D. Smith, William P. Mulligan, Richard M. Swanson

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

86 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

SunPower manufactures high-efficiency rear-contact solar cells. To offer these cells at a competitive price, SunPower requires a source of low-cost wafers with the necessary lifetime, thickness and resistivity to attain a cell efficiency of at least 20%. With simulation and experiment, this paper investigates how each of these parameters affects the efficiency of SunPower's low-cost, rear-contact solar cell. It concludes that the cell efficiency approaches an optimum when the wafers have (i) a lifetime in excess of 1 ms, (ii) a thickness of 160-280 μm, and (iii) a resistivity of 2-10 Omega;.cm (n-type). The requirement of the high lifetime restricts the wafer choice to FZ, PV-FZ or n-type Cz; but the wide tolerance on wafer thickness and resistivity help lower the wafer cost by maximising the yield from a silicon ingot.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceddings of the 3rd World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion
Editors	K. Kurokawa, L.L. Kazmerski, B. McNeils, M. Yamaguchi, C. Wronski
Pages	971-974
Number of pages	4
Publication status	Published - 2003
Externally published	Yes
Event	Proceddings of the 3rd World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion - Osaka, Japan Duration: 11 May 2003 → 18 May 2003

Publication series

Name	Proceedings of the 3rd World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion
Volume	A

Conference

Conference	Proceddings of the 3rd World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion
Country/Territory	Japan
City	Osaka
Period	11/05/03 → 18/05/03

Cite this

McIntosh, K. R., Cudzinovic, M. J., Smith, D. D., Mulligan, W. P., & Swanson, R. M. (2003). The choice of silicon wafer for the production of low-cost rear-contact solar cells. In K. Kurokawa, L. L. Kazmerski, B. McNeils, M. Yamaguchi, & C. Wronski (Eds.), Proceddings of the 3rd World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion (pp. 971-974). (Proceedings of the 3rd World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion; Vol. A).

McIntosh, Keith R. ; Cudzinovic, Michael J. ; Smith, David D. et al. / The choice of silicon wafer for the production of low-cost rear-contact solar cells. Proceddings of the 3rd World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion. editor / K. Kurokawa ; L.L. Kazmerski ; B. McNeils ; M. Yamaguchi ; C. Wronski. 2003. pp. 971-974 (Proceedings of the 3rd World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion).

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title = "The choice of silicon wafer for the production of low-cost rear-contact solar cells",

abstract = "SunPower manufactures high-efficiency rear-contact solar cells. To offer these cells at a competitive price, SunPower requires a source of low-cost wafers with the necessary lifetime, thickness and resistivity to attain a cell efficiency of at least 20%. With simulation and experiment, this paper investigates how each of these parameters affects the efficiency of SunPower's low-cost, rear-contact solar cell. It concludes that the cell efficiency approaches an optimum when the wafers have (i) a lifetime in excess of 1 ms, (ii) a thickness of 160-280 μm, and (iii) a resistivity of 2-10 Omega;.cm (n-type). The requirement of the high lifetime restricts the wafer choice to FZ, PV-FZ or n-type Cz; but the wide tolerance on wafer thickness and resistivity help lower the wafer cost by maximising the yield from a silicon ingot.",

author = "McIntosh, {Keith R.} and Cudzinovic, {Michael J.} and Smith, {David D.} and Mulligan, {William P.} and Swanson, {Richard M.}",

year = "2003",

language = "English",

isbn = "4990181603",

series = "Proceedings of the 3rd World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion",

pages = "971--974",

editor = "K. Kurokawa and L.L. Kazmerski and B. McNeils and M. Yamaguchi and C. Wronski",

booktitle = "Proceddings of the 3rd World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion",

note = "Proceddings of the 3rd World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion ; Conference date: 11-05-2003 Through 18-05-2003",

}

McIntosh, KR, Cudzinovic, MJ, Smith, DD, Mulligan, WP & Swanson, RM 2003, The choice of silicon wafer for the production of low-cost rear-contact solar cells. in K Kurokawa, LL Kazmerski, B McNeils, M Yamaguchi & C Wronski (eds), Proceddings of the 3rd World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion. Proceedings of the 3rd World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, vol. A, pp. 971-974, Proceddings of the 3rd World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, Osaka, Japan, 11/05/03.

The choice of silicon wafer for the production of low-cost rear-contact solar cells. / McIntosh, Keith R.; Cudzinovic, Michael J.; Smith, David D. et al.
Proceddings of the 3rd World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion. ed. / K. Kurokawa; L.L. Kazmerski; B. McNeils; M. Yamaguchi; C. Wronski. 2003. p. 971-974 (Proceedings of the 3rd World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion; Vol. A).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - The choice of silicon wafer for the production of low-cost rear-contact solar cells

AU - McIntosh, Keith R.

AU - Cudzinovic, Michael J.

AU - Smith, David D.

AU - Mulligan, William P.

AU - Swanson, Richard M.

PY - 2003

Y1 - 2003

N2 - SunPower manufactures high-efficiency rear-contact solar cells. To offer these cells at a competitive price, SunPower requires a source of low-cost wafers with the necessary lifetime, thickness and resistivity to attain a cell efficiency of at least 20%. With simulation and experiment, this paper investigates how each of these parameters affects the efficiency of SunPower's low-cost, rear-contact solar cell. It concludes that the cell efficiency approaches an optimum when the wafers have (i) a lifetime in excess of 1 ms, (ii) a thickness of 160-280 μm, and (iii) a resistivity of 2-10 Omega;.cm (n-type). The requirement of the high lifetime restricts the wafer choice to FZ, PV-FZ or n-type Cz; but the wide tolerance on wafer thickness and resistivity help lower the wafer cost by maximising the yield from a silicon ingot.

AB - SunPower manufactures high-efficiency rear-contact solar cells. To offer these cells at a competitive price, SunPower requires a source of low-cost wafers with the necessary lifetime, thickness and resistivity to attain a cell efficiency of at least 20%. With simulation and experiment, this paper investigates how each of these parameters affects the efficiency of SunPower's low-cost, rear-contact solar cell. It concludes that the cell efficiency approaches an optimum when the wafers have (i) a lifetime in excess of 1 ms, (ii) a thickness of 160-280 μm, and (iii) a resistivity of 2-10 Omega;.cm (n-type). The requirement of the high lifetime restricts the wafer choice to FZ, PV-FZ or n-type Cz; but the wide tolerance on wafer thickness and resistivity help lower the wafer cost by maximising the yield from a silicon ingot.

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M3 - Conference contribution

SN - 4990181603

SN - 9784990181604

T3 - Proceedings of the 3rd World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion

SP - 971

EP - 974

BT - Proceddings of the 3rd World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion

A2 - Kurokawa, K.

A2 - Kazmerski, L.L.

A2 - McNeils, B.

A2 - Yamaguchi, M.

A2 - Wronski, C.

T2 - Proceddings of the 3rd World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion

Y2 - 11 May 2003 through 18 May 2003

ER -

McIntosh KR, Cudzinovic MJ, Smith DD, Mulligan WP, Swanson RM. The choice of silicon wafer for the production of low-cost rear-contact solar cells. In Kurokawa K, Kazmerski LL, McNeils B, Yamaguchi M, Wronski C, editors, Proceddings of the 3rd World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion. 2003. p. 971-974. (Proceedings of the 3rd World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion).

The choice of silicon wafer for the production of low-cost rear-contact solar cells

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