Back-Contact Solar Cell Layout for Short-Circuit Suppression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solar cells, particularly interdigitated back-contact (IBC) solar cells, face challenges in enhancing electrical performance and reducing preparation costs while avoiding short-circuit issues and carrier recombination.
Innovation Solution
The design includes a solar cell with distinct regions having different conductivity type emitters, a tunneling layer, and dielectric layers to optimize electrical connections and reduce alignment complexities, featuring a substrate with a flat rear surface and a second emitter with controlled thickness and doping concentrations to manage carrier flow effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional IBC solar cell structure is used, then the manufacturing process is relatively simple, but the electrical performance is limited and short-circuit risks are higher
Solution Approach 1:
The solar cell is divided into a first region with a first emitter and a second region with a second emitter, where the emitters have different conductivity types. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each region's electrical characteristics, improving overall electrical performance while maintaining manageable structural complexity through functional division.
Solution Approach 2:
A tunneling layer is introduced as an intermediary structure between the substrate and the emitters. This tunneling layer, comprising multiple dielectric layers with different materials and doping concentrations, mediates the electrical interaction between regions, enabling better carrier transmission and reduced short-circuit currents while enhancing overall reliability.
2Productivity
If emitters with different conductivity types are used in different regions, then carrier convergence is enhanced, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the solar cell are assigned emitters with different conductivity types (first emitter in first region, second emitter in second region). This local quality differentiation optimizes carrier convergence in each specific region according to its functional requirements, improving overall productivity while the modular approach helps manage manufacturing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The tunneling layer employs multiple dielectric layers with varying materials and doping concentrations to create optimal electrical parameters in different regions. By carefully controlling doping concentrations and material properties, the structure enhances carrier convergence efficiency while the systematic parameter variation follows established semiconductor manufacturing processes.
3Reliability
If the tunneling layer uses multiple dielectric layers with different doping concentrations, then short-circuit currents are suppressed, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The tunneling layer is constructed as a composite structure with multiple dielectric layers (first dielectric layer, second dielectric layer, third dielectric layer) made of different materials with different doping concentrations. This composite material approach enables precise control over electrical properties to suppress short-circuit currents while distributing the complexity across standardized layer fabrication processes.
Solution Approach 2:
Each dielectric layer in the tunneling layer has specifically controlled doping concentrations and material compositions. By varying these parameters systematically across layers, the structure achieves effective short-circuit suppression while following systematic fabrication procedures that manage manufacturing complexity through parameter optimization rather than structural complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration improves electrical performance by reducing short-circuit currents and carrier recombination, enhancing light absorption and conversion efficiency while simplifying the manufacturing process and reducing costs.
Implementation Method 1
a tunneling layer covering the second surface
Implementation Method 2
A solar cell is a photovoltaic device for converting solar radiation energy to electric energy
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a solar cell and a solar cell module. The solar cell includes a first region and a second region, and further includes a substrate having a first surface and a second surface; a tunneling layer covering the second surface; a first emitter formed on part of the tunneling layer in the first region; and a second emitter formed on part of the tunneling layer in the second region and on the first emitter, a conductivity type of the second emitter being different from a conductivity type of the first emitter. The solar cell further includes a first electrode configured to electrically connect with the first emitter by penetrating through the second emitter; and a second electrode formed in the second region and configured to electrically connect with the second emitter.