Simplified edge isolation of buried contact solar cells

However, a slight reduction of short circuit current is observed for the cells undergone standard as well as plasma processing. This is due to the presence of floating volume shunts formed at the rear n-p+ junction, which are not removed by either the standard or plasma process. These shunts do not influence the IV-curve of the solar cells and are nearly invisible with conventional thermography, as they are not connected to the front side emitter grid. Hence, light-modulated lock-in thermography measurements were carried out to analyse these shunts.