High-efficiency silicon solar cells

Silicon solar cells are described which operate at energy conversion efficiencies independently measured at 18.7 percent under standard terrestrial test conditions (AM1.5, 100 mW/cm2, 28°C). These are apparently the most efficient silicon cells fabricated to date. The high-efficiency results from a combination of high open-circuit voltage due to the careful attention paid to the passivation of the top surface of the cell; high fill factor due to the high open-circuit voltage and low parasitic resistance losses; and high short-circuit current density due to the use of shallow diffusions, a low grid coverage, and an optimized double layer antireflection coating.