Effect of damage removal etch (DRE) on plasma textured, multi-crystalline solar cells

•Self-masked, dry, plasma texturing process.•The large area cell preparation for industrial application.•Improvement in efficiency of mc-Si cells up to 15.1%.•Core scan study of DRE.•DRE leading to higher cell efficiencies.

In the present work, a self-masked, dry, plasma texturing process for multi crystalline silicon (mc-Si) wafers has been developed that results in a higher cell performance than that with un-textured wafers. Plasma textured samples prepared have low levels (∼4%) of reflectance. Plasma damage of textured wafers has been eliminated by a damage removal etch (DRE). The improvement in efficiency of mc-Si solar cells up to 15.1% has been attributed to complete suppression of reflectivity (4–5%) in a broad spectral range (350–800 nm) leading to black silicon surface. Also, DRE on plasma textured wafers has been found to result in reduced surface damage compared to cells without DRE leading to higher cell efficiencies.