Multicrystalline silicon thin film solar cells based on a two-step liquid phase laser crystallization process

We present a technology for preparing multi-crystalline silicon thin film solar cells based on laser crystallization. The technology makes use of high rate electron beam evaporation of amorphous silicon and of liquid phase crystallization by scanning the beam of a line focus high power diode laser. The resulting several μm thick absorber of the solar cell consists of grains sized up to mm. On top of the absorber an epitaxial emitter is prepared by excimer laser crystallization. Our solar cells reached an open circuit voltage of 550 mV and an efficiency of 7.8 %.