Solution-processed ZnO as the efficient passivation and electron selective layer of silicon solar cells

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that solution-processed ZnO and Al-doped ZnO can serve as effective passivation and electron selective layers in silicon heterojunction solar cells, achieving efficiencies over 18%.

Contribution

It introduces a novel all-solution-processed ZnO-based passivation and electron transport layer system for silicon solar cells, replacing traditional materials.

Findings

Achieved 18.46% efficiency with a-Si:H/ZnO:Al double layer.

Non-doped ZnO provides passivation and good electron selectivity.

Solution-processed ZnO layers are effective for high-performance SHJ solar cells.

Abstract

Solution-processed intrinsic ZnO and Al doped ZnO (ZnO:Al) were spin coated on textured n-type c-Si wafer to replace the phosphorus doped amorphous silicon as the electron selective transport layer (ESTL) of the Si heterojunction (SHJ) solar cells. Besides the function of electron selective transportation, the non-doped ZnO was found to possess certain passivation effect on c-Si wafer. The SHJ solar cells with different combinations of passivation layer (intrinsic a-Si:H, SiOx and non-doped ZnO) and electron transport layer (non-doped ZnO and ZnO:Al ) were fabricated and compared. An efficiency up to 18.46% was achieved on a SHJ solar cell with an a-Si:H/ZnO:Al double layer back structure. And, the all solution-processed non-doped ZnO/ZnO:Al combination layer presents fairly good electron selective transportation property for SHJ solar cell, resulting in an efficiency of 17.13%. The carrier transport based on energy band diagrams of the rear side of the solar cells has been discussed related to the performance of the SHJ solar cells.