Self-Aligned Silica Nanoparticle Rear Reflectors for Single-Junction Si and Perovskite-Si Tandem Solar Cells
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Author
Turkay, Deniz
Blondiaux, Nicolas
Boccard, Matthieu
Artuk, Kerem
Jacobs, Daniel Anthony
Gay, Julien
Jeangros, Quentin
Ballif, Christophe
Wolff, Christian Michael
DOI
10.1002/solr.202400704
Abstract
Infrared light management is crucial to maximize the optical performance of crystalline Si-based single junction and tandem solar cells. For this end, a low refractive index dielectric is typically inserted under the rear metal and an electrical contact is obtained locally through the dielectric. However, the realization of such an architecture can require numerous fabrication steps that are time and resource intensive. Herein, a simple approach is proposed in which commercially available, low-cost SiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) are spin coated as rear reflectors on pyramid-textured Si, leaving the pyramid tips locally exposed for direct contact by an electrode without additional patterning. In Si heterojunction solar cells, complementing a 40 nm-thick indium tin oxide (ITO) layer with the SiO2-NPs yields a gain of 0.3 mA cm−2 in short-circuit current density compared to that obtained with a bare, 100 nm-thick ITO layer. Combined with reduced electrical losses, power conversion efficiency gains of 0.5%abs to 0.3%abs for single junction Si and perovskite-Si tandem cells are demonstrated, respectively. Finally, it is shown that the NPs can also be processed on large areas via blade coating and that the process can be further simplified by a change in the fabrication sequence of the SiO2-NP and ITO layers.
Publication Reference
Solar RRL, 9 (3), art. no. 2400704
Year
2025