Silicon concentrator solar cells using mass-produced, flat-plate cell fabrication technology

Low-concentration solar cells have been fabricated using high-throughput methods such as screen-printed metallization and wire-sawn Czochralski (CZ) substrates. The low cost per unit area of such cells offers the potential to substantially reduce the cost of concentrator modules. Typical resistive power losses in screen-printed concentrator cells are discussed. The specific contact resistance of the screen-printed metal grid is held low so that it no longer dominates cell performance. The dependence of cell recombination components on grid coverage fraction is investigated using J_ac vs. V_oc measurements. Performance measurements are presented for two cell types fabricated at Siemens Solar Industries: a cell designed for use at 6 Suns by Solar Engineering Applications, Inc.; and a cell for use at 19 Suns by ENTECH, Inc. Efficiencies measured at Sandia National Labs are 16.65% for the 6-Sun cell with no prismatic cover, and 17.0% for the 19-Sun cell with a prismatic cover