A Systematic Loss Analysis Method for Rear-Passivated Silicon Solar Cells

By combining commonly available solar cell characterization methods with easy-to-prepare test structures and partially processed rear-passivated solar cells from the production line, we show that various cell loss mechanisms can be quantified in exquisite detail to generate process-related diagnostics. An example monocrystalline silicon localized back surface field solar cell type is examined using a systematic routine that breaks down the factors limiting open-circuit voltage, short-circuit current, and fill factor (FF) to identify the cell structure's headroom for improvement.