Copper conducting electrode with nickel as a seed layer for selective emitter crystalline silicon solar cells

Abstract

In this research, we investigated selective emitter formation with a single-step photolithography process having a metallization scheme composed of nickel/copper metal stacks. The nickel seed layers were deposited by applying the electroless deposition process while copper was formed by light induced electro-plating arrangements as the main conducting electrode. The electroless deposition of nickel, along with a sintering process, was employed to create a diffusion barrier between copper and silicon. The nickel metal stack below the copper-conducting electrode also helped in lowering the sheet resistance and improving the contact adhesion. The nickel used as a seed layer was successfully demonstrated in the fabrication of a homogeneous 60 Ω/□ emitter and selective emitter cells. Lower series resistances of 0.165 Ω and 0.253 Ω were achieved for the selective emitter and the homogeneous emitter cells, respectively. The best cell efficiency of 18.37% for the selective emitter solar cell was achieved, with average cell efficiencies of 18.17% and 17.3% for the selective emitter and the homogeneous emitter cells, respectively. An approximate efficiency increase of about 0.8% was recorded for the selective emitter solar cells.