Improvement of front side contact by light induced plating of c-Si solar cell

Abstract

Screen printing technique using silver paste is one of the established industrial processes for manufacturing solar cell. But due to some limitation of this process conductivity of contact decreases. Light Induced Plating (LIP) of c-Si solar cell is a critical process generally leading to decrease in series resistance of front side contact, increase in fill factor and efficiency associated with marginal reduction in short circuit current (Jsc). In this paper experimental results showing the decrease in series resistance but increase in short circuit current (Jsc) by using LIP process is reported. The LIP experiments are carried out using two different methods i.e. with and without bias. Even the unintentional deposition of silver nano particles on the front surface of the solar cell during LIP process is clearly shown.