15%, 20 Micron thin, silicon solar cells on steel

A method to laminate a thin monocrystalline Si layer to a conductive and fracture-resistant carrier such as steel has been developed, resulting in a practical design for high volume production of robust ultra-thin (10-20 μm) “kerfless” Si wafers. With this technology front and rear cell features based on the world-record PERL cell design have been integrated. A confirmed efficiency of 15.1% has been achieved on a 20-micron thick one-cm² solar cell. This 15.1% is believed to be the highest confirmed efficiency achieved with ultra-thin silicon integrated with a conducting substrate.