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ECN publication
Title:
High efficiency N-type Si Metal-Wrap-Through cells from lab to fab
 
Author(s):
Guillevin, N.; Geerligs, L.J.; Heurtault, B.; Aken, B.B. van; Bennett, I.J.; Jansen, M.J.; Berkeveld, L.D.; Weeber, A.W.; Bultman, J.H.; Wenchao, Zhao; Jianming, Wang; Ziqian, Wang; Yingle, Chen; Yanlong,  Shen; Hu, Zhiyan; Li, Gaofei; Jianhui, Chen; Bo, Yu; Shuquan, Tian; Jingfeng, Xiong
 
Published by: Publication date:
ECN Solar Energy 30-4-2012
 
ECN report number: Document type:
ECN-V--12-002 Article
 
Number of pages: Full text:
4 Download PDF  

Published in: Future Photovoltaics (), , 2012, Vol.7 (April), p.32-38.

Abstract:
Metal-wrap-through (MWT) cell technology represents the smallest evolutionary step from mainstream Si PV production to high-efficiency rear-contact cell and module technology. The technology builds on standard 'H-pattern front contact' cell technology by adding a small number (10-30) of via-holes to wrap the front metallisation to the rear contacts for module interconnection. It increases the module efficiency by reduced shadow loss (~2-3%), reduced series resistance (~3%), and reduced module inactive area. The advantages of the MWT technology are large: apart from the increase in cell and module efficiency, the module manufacturing can be done with higher yield, higher degree of automation and much smaller equipment footprint. Also, the MWT technology reduces stress from the interconnection process and thus allows thinner cells, offering additional cost reduction possibilities. Advances in mainstream H-pattern cell equipment and technology, such as selective emitter technology, can easily be incorporated in MWT. The International Technology Roadmap for PV expects the share of rear contact technology to take off rapidly in 2013-2014, and reach 40% in 2020. Several companies have already announced to take p-type MWT cells in large scale production this year. With this in mind, several years ago ECN started efforts to create an "MWT version" of its high efficiency n-type cell technology.

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