The waffle: a new photovoltaic diode geometry having high efficiency and backside contacts

Author

Leistiko, Otto

Author_Institution

Microelectron. Centre, Tech. Univ. Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark

Volume

2

fYear

1994

fDate

5-9 Dec 1994

Firstpage

1462

Abstract

By employing anisotropic etching techniques and advanced device processing it is possible to micromachine new types of mechanical, electronic, and optical devices of silicon, which have unique properties. In this paper the characteristics of a new type of photovoltaic diode fabricated employing these processing techniques are described. This novel device has not only high efficiency, but also has both contacts placed on the backside of the cell. The first devices which are only 50 mm in diameter are of relatively good quality with low leakage currents (nA), high breakdown voltages (80 V), and low series resistance (mohms). The measured efficiencies at AM 1.5 lie between 12 to 15% with short circuit currents of 25-30 mA/cm2, and open circuit voltages of 0.58-0.6 V

Keywords

elemental semiconductors; etching; leakage currents; semiconductor diodes; semiconductor materials; short-circuit currents; silicon; solar cells; 0.58 to 0.6 V; 12 to 15 percent; 50 mm; AM 1.5; Si; anisotropic etching; backside contacts; high breakdown voltages; high efficiency; low leakage currents; low series resistance; open circuit voltages; photovoltaic diode geometry; short circuit currents; waffle; Anisotropic magnetoresistance; Diodes; Etching; Geometrical optics; Geometry; Mechanical factors; Optical devices; Photovoltaic systems; Silicon; Solar power generation;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, 1994., Conference Record of the Twenty Fourth. IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference - 1994, 1994 IEEE First World Conference on

Conference_Location

Waikoloa, HI

Print_ISBN

0-7803-1460-3

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/WCPEC.1994.520225

Filename

520225