Application of fine electrode for high efficiency mc-Si solar cells over 18%

To attain a high efficiency for mc-Si solar cell, a front fine electrode was applied to the conventional cell process instead of a screen-printed electrode. Efficiencies of 19.0%, 18.9%, and 18.4% were obtained for 1-cm/sup 2/, 4-cm/sup 2/, and 25-cm/sup 2/ cells, respectively. The applying effects of the front fine electrode were discussed using the cell characteristics and the spectral IQE, comparing with the printed electrode cell. Owing to the application, high sheet resistance for an n/sup +/ emitter layer is allowed with the narrower subgrid interval and the Surface Recombination Velocity (SRV) is expected to be reduced. Consequently, the SRV value was reduced to be one third, and Jsc, Voc, and FF were increased by 8%, 3%, and 4%, respectively.