Fraunhofer ISE accomplishes 26% effectiveness for both-sides-contacted solar cell

• A research team at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE has actually set a brand-new conversion efficiency globe record of 26% for both-sides-contacted silicon solar cells.

The team led by Armin Richter has accomplished the landmark with a solar cell based upon the TOPCon (Tunnel Oxide Passivating Call) innovation, integrating the benefits of very-low surface area recombination losses with efficient charge carrier transport. The particular cell has the pn joint on the back side instead of the front, thus eliminating the need of having the full-surface boron doping on the front side. This enables greater voltages and greater fill aspects.

The record-breaking TOPCoRE (TOPCon Rear Emitter) cell has approached the approximated capacity of 27% for both-sides-contacted solar cells, established as the sector standard, and also the theoretical performance limitation of crystalline silicon of 29.4%. Fraunhofer ISE notes that previous record effectiveness of around 26% were just attained with solar cells having both steel contacts at the rear, also known as interdigitated back get in touch with (IBC) solar cells.

Richter discusses the framework of the record-breaking cell in the recently released Nature Energy short article "Design Rules for High-Efficiency Both-Sides-Contacted Silicon Solar Cell with Balanced Charge Carrier Transport and also Recombination Losses."