Silicon point contact concentrator solar cells

Abstract

Experimental results are presented for thin high resistivity concentrator silicon solar cells which use a back-side point-contact geometry. Cells of 130 and 233 µm thickness were fabricated and characterized. The thin cells were found to have efficiencies greater than 22 percent for incident solar intensities of 3 to 30 W/cm <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> (30-300 "suns"). Efficiency peaked at 23 percent at 11 W/cm <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> measured at 22-25°C. Strategies for obtaining higher efficiencies with this solar cell design are discussed.