Record VOC-values for thin-film polysilicon solar cells on foreign substrates using a heterojunction emitter

Abstract

Thin-film polysillicon solar cells on foreign substrates are often considered as promising low cost alternative to bulk silicon solar cells. Until now however, the obtained efficiencies and open-circuit voltages are far below those of other technologies. In this paper, we show how the open-circuit voltage can be enhanced significantly using an amorphous silicon-crystalline silicon heterojunction emitter instead of a diffused homojunction emitter. Open-circuit voltages up to 536 mV were obtained for polysilicon solar cells with a p-n structure on foreign substrates.