High-efficiency, single-crystalline, p- and n-type Si solar cells: Microstructure and chemical analysis of the glass layer

We could prove that in p-type cells the efficiency of the cells correlated with the chemical composition of the glass layer. In n-type cells, with Al-containing pastes EDX spectroscopy yielded Al beyond the detection limit in the glass layer, whereas for Al free pastes the Al mole fraction was below the detection limit of EDX and yielded reduced efficiencies. In p-type cells pastes with enhanced Zn mole fraction yielding zinc oxide phases in the bulk Ag finger and Zn mole fractions up to 5 at% in the glass layer.