High Efficiency, Low Cost Solar Cells Manufactured Using ‘Silicon Ink’ on Thin Crystalline Silicon Wafers October 2009 - November 2010

Authors

Homer Antoniadis, Innovalight, Inc.

Document Type

Report

Publication Date

3-2011

Publisher

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Publisher Location

Golden, CO

First page number:

1

Last page number:

44

Abstract

The objectives of Phase I (Feb – Oct 2009) include the development and demonstration of a 17% efficient 25mm x 25mm crystalline Silicon solar cell and a 16% efficient 125mm x 125mm crystalline Silicon solar cell, both produced by Ink-jet printing Silicon Ink on a thin crystalline Sil-icon wafer. To achieve these objectives, processing approaches were developed to print the Silicon Ink in a predetermined pattern to form a high efficiency selective emitter, remove the solvents in the Silicon Ink and fuse the deposited particle Silicon films. Additionally, standard solar cell manufacturing equipment with slightly modified processes were used to complete the fabrication of the Silicon Ink high efficiency solar cells.

The objectives of Phase II (Feb – Oct 2010) were the development and demonstration of a 18.5% efficient 125mm x 125mm monocrystalline Silicon cell, and a 17% efficient 125mm x 125mm multicrystalline Silicon cell, by utilizing high throughput Ink-jet and screen printing technologies. To achieve these objectives, Innovalight developed new high throughput processing tools to print and fuse both p and n type particle Silicon Inks in a predetermined pat-tern applied either on the front or the back of the cell. Additionally, a customized Ink-jet and screen printing systems, coupled with customized substrate handling solution, customized printing algorithms, and a customized ink drying process, in combination with a purchased turn-key line, were used to complete the high efficiency solar cells. This development work delivered a process capable of high volume producing 18.5% efficient crystalline Silicon solar cells and enabled the Innovalight to commercialize its technology by the summer of 2010.

Controlled Subject

Cost effectiveness; Electric power-plants--Efficiency; Photovoltaic cells; Solar cells; Solar energy

Disciplines

Oil, Gas, and Energy | Power and Energy

File Format

pdf

File Size

2000 KB

Language

English

Rights

IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Repository Citation

Antoniadis, H. (2011). High Efficiency, Low Cost Solar Cells Manufactured Using ‘Silicon Ink’ on Thin Crystalline Silicon Wafers October 2009 - November 2010. 1-44.
Available at: https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/renew_pubs/53