600 mV epitaxial crystal silicon solar cells grown on seeded glass

Abstract

We report progress made at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) on crystal silicon solar cells fabricated by epitaxially thickening thin silicon seed layers on glass using hot-wire chemical vapor deposition. Four micron thick devices grown on single-crystal silicon layer transfer seeds on glass achieved open circuit voltages (Voc) over 600 mV and efficiencies over 10%. Other devices were grown on laser crystallized mixed phase solidification (MPS) seeds on glass and e-beam crystallized (EBC) a-Si on SiC coated glass seeds. We discuss the material quality of the various devices on seeds and summarize the prospects for the seed and epitaxy PV approach.