Role of metal impurities in multicrystalline silicon solar cell degradation. (8th October 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hu, Zechen; Lin, Dehang; Yu, Xuegong; Seiffert, Christoph; Kuznetsov, Andrej; Yang, Deren
• Is Part Of: Applied physics express. Volume 14:Number 11(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-10-08
• Subjects: photovoltaics -- multi-crystalline silicon (mc-Si) -- light and elevated temperature-induced degradation (LeTID) -- metal impurity -- electrically active defect; Physics -- Periodicals; Technology -- Periodicals; 621.05
• DOI: 10.35848/1882-0786/ac2ae6
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1882-0778

Abstract

Abstract: Controlling light- and elevated temperature-induced degradation (LeTID) is one of the great challenges in silicon photovoltaics industry. Here, we performed systematic high-resolution elemental mapping and spectroscopic electrical measurements in multi-crystalline silicon wafers that underwent standard solar cell processing during LeTID. The prominent correlations between the metal precipitate formation/dissociation steps and the appearance of band-like or localized electronic states during LeTID evolution were observed. Of note, the re-precipitation of iron was found to co-localize with copper atom agglomerations. Finally, we discuss the potential mechanisms that enhance metal redistributions in mc-Si during LeTID in the context of the existing literature.