High-Efficiency Micro-Textured n-Type Solar Cell

We have developed a high-efficiency n-type solar cell process. The n-type silicon solar cell produced by the high-efficiency texturing process displayed higher short-circuit current density, open-circuit voltage, fill factor, and conversion efficiency than the p-type silicon solar cell. As a result, a higher conversion efficiency of 18.26% was achieved from the n-type silicon solar cell (the p-type silicon solar cell conversion efficiency was 16.63%). Furthermore, the application of a high-efficiency surface texturing structure to an n-type silicon substrate increased the short-circuit current density and open-circuit voltage compared with the wet saw-damage-removal-processed n-type silicon solar cell. Solar cells made from n-type silicon under a 10-min tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) etching, a 40-min reactive-ion etching, and a 10-min TMAH texturing process achieved a conversion efficiency of 20%, which established the groundwork for production of high efficiency solar cells.