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ECN publication
Title:
Laser processing for advanced solar cells
 
Author(s):
 
Published by: Publication date:
ECN Solar Energy 7-6-2010
 
ECN report number: Document type:
ECN-M--10-035 Conference Paper
 
Number of pages: Full text:
7 Download PDF  

Presented at: 11th International Symposium on Laser Precision Microfabrication, Stuttgart, Germany, 7-11 juni 2010.

Abstract:
Laser processing is becoming an increasingly important production tool in the manufacturing of photovoltaic (PV) solar cells and modules, with huge potential to enable new technology genera-tions in the near future. In this contribution, examples of next generation crystalline silicon and thin-film PV devices that are developed by ECN will be presented. These incorporate laser processes, ranging from a highly thermal process like laser soldering, via drilling of holes into silicon up to precise micrometer scale selective ablation of nanometer thin films. The presented next generation PV solutions enabled by laser processing are characterized by an overall advantage in device per-formance and/or substantial decrease in manufacturing cost through overall optimization of the complete concept and its production scheme. Depth–selective laser ablation is an enabler for ECN’s high-efficiency thin-film silicon PV approach which has the potential to allow a significant decrease in production cost through roll-to-roll manufacturing based on steel foil as substrate. In case of crystalline silicon, the combination of laser drilled metallisation wrap-through solar cells with an innovative module technology for such back-contacted solar cells enabled a 17% module efficiency with multicrystalline silicon solar cells, which is listed in the table of PV world record efficiencies.


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