Microcrystalline Silicon Solar Cells with 10.5% Efficiency Realized by Improved Photon Absorption via Periodic Textures and Highly Transparent Conductive Oxide

We developed advanced light management techniques and applied them to single-junction microcrystalline silicon solar cells to improve their current density and conversion efficiency. A high short-circuit current density of 30.8 mA/cm 2 is attained in a 3-µm-thick cell aided by the superior light-trapping effect of periodically textured back reflectors, and by the reduced absorption loss from the high-mobility transparent conductive oxide films. In addition, an unprecedented efficiency of 10.5% is independently confirmed in a 1.8-µm-thick cell with the same structure. These results indicate the importance of light management for further efficiency improvements in thin-film silicon solar cells.