Process monitoring of texture-etched high-rate ZnO:Al front contacts for silicon thin-film solar cells

► Deposition conditions were altered to simulate process drift in system. ► Texture of etched ZnO:Al shows trends depending on deposition conditions. ► Trends can be identified using angular resolved scattering measurements. ► Significance of detected trends to solar cell performance was confirmed. ► Use of angular intensity distribution parameters for texture optimization was suggested.