50 patents in this list

Updated:

PERC solar cells face fundamental efficiency limitations due to carrier recombination at metal contacts and surface interfaces. Current commercial cells achieve efficiencies around 22-23%, but surface passivation quality and contact recombination remain significant bottlenecks, with rear surface recombination velocities typically exceeding 100 cm/s and contact resistivity values above 1 mΩ-cm².

The core challenge lies in simultaneously optimizing surface passivation and carrier transport while maintaining manufacturability at industrial scale.

This page brings together solutions from recent research—including gradient-doped tunnel oxide structures, polysilicon stack architectures, selective emitter formations, and dual-surface passivation approaches. These and other advances demonstrate pathways to achieving >25% efficiency while preserving cost-effective manufacturing processes.

1. Solar Cell with Dual-Surface Passivation and Optimized Edge Contact Geometry

TRINA SOLAR CO LTD, 2024

Solar cell with enhanced passivation and carrier recombination reduction through optimized edge contact design. The cell features a passivation layer that covers the first surface and at least a portion of the first side surface, with an additional passivation layer on the second surface. This dual-passivation approach provides improved passivation at the cut edges, where conventional passivation layers often fail, while maintaining high efficiency. The design also incorporates anti-reflective coatings on both surfaces to enhance light absorption. The cell architecture enables reduced carrier recombination at the cut edges through optimized contact geometry, resulting in improved efficiency and power conversion.

US2024063313A1-patent-drawing

2. Solar Cell with Gradient Doped Tunnel Oxide Layer for Enhanced Passivation

JOSIAN JINKO SOLAR COMPANY LTD, 2024

Solar cell with enhanced passivation performance through optimized tunnel oxide structure. The cell features a tunnel oxide layer with a doping concentration gradient that transitions from a higher doping concentration in the metallized region to a lower doping concentration in the non-metallic region. This gradient enables controlled doping of the tunnel oxide layer, where the doping concentration increases in the metallized region and decreases in the non-metallic region. The doping process is achieved through a multi-step conversion of the tunnel oxide layer into a doped conductive layer, with doping elements entering the non-metallic region and forming conductive pathways. This gradient doping approach enhances the tunnel oxide's passivation properties while maintaining the structural integrity of the solar cell.

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3. Solar Cell with Polysilicon Stack Structure and Tunnel Oxide for Enhanced Backside Passivation

BYD COMPANY LTD, BYD Company Limited, 2024

Solar cells with improved backside passivation through a novel polysilicon stack structure. The cells feature a silicon base layer, a tunnel oxide layer, a doped polysilicon stack, and a second anti-reflection layer. The polysilicon stack provides enhanced backside passivation compared to conventional polysilicon-only structures, while the tunnel oxide layer enables efficient electron transfer between the polysilicon and metal contacts.

CN220420585U-patent-drawing

4. Back-Contacted Solar Cell with Interdigitated Electrodes and Passivated Contacts Featuring Balanced Doping and Polycrystalline Silicon Layer

ENPV GMBH, 2024

Highly efficient back-contacted solar cell with passivated contacts that reduces recombination and improves efficiency. The cell has interdigitated electrodes on the back contacting doped regions of opposite polarity. The doping in the regions is balanced to create the opposite polarity. This eliminates the need for complex doping steps or masks on the back. The front has lower doping compared to the back. Passivation layers on front and back further reduce recombination. The cell is manufactured by depositing a polycrystalline silicon layer on a dielectric layer, locally doping the back regions, and forming passivation layers.

DE102022116798A1-patent-drawing

5. Solar Cell with Tunneling Oxide Layer Between Rear Surface and Doped Conductive Layer

ZHEJIANG JINKO SOLAR CO LTD, 2024

Solar cell with improved passivation performance through a novel tunneling oxide layer structure. The cell features a semiconductor substrate with a front surface and rear surface, an emitter, a tunneling oxide layer, a doped conductive layer, a rear passivation layer, a front electrode, and a rear electrode. The tunneling oxide layer is positioned between the rear surface and the doped conductive layer, creating a tunneling oxide passivation structure that enhances charge carrier transport through the metal contact area. This architecture addresses the limitations of conventional tunneling oxide layers by incorporating a tunneling oxide layer directly between the metal contact and the semiconductor surface.

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6. Bifacial Solar Cells with Double-Side Passivated Contact Architecture and Selective Poly-Si Patterning

GEORGIA TECH RESEARCH CORP, 2023

Bifacial solar cells with high efficiency (>25%) achieved through a novel double-side passivated contact (TOPCon) architecture. The cells employ a novel fabrication process that enables selective patterning of poly-Si on both sides of the solar cell, while maintaining high-quality passivation. The passivation stack, comprising a thin layer of silicon nitride (SiNX:H), achieves a field inversion layer of 4 fA/cm², enabling efficient carrier collection across the front surface. This approach enables the creation of high-efficiency solar cells with reduced parasitic absorption losses compared to traditional PERC cells, while maintaining excellent passivation quality.

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7. Solar Cell with Front-Side Wide Bandgap Doped Polysilicon Layer and Multi-Layer Back Contact Structure Formed by Tube PECVD

FUJIAN JINSHI ENERGY CO LTD, Fujian Jinshi Energy Co., Ltd., 2023

Front-side wide bandgap doped combined passivation back contact solar cell design that reduces parasitic absorption and improves efficiency compared to conventional back contact solar cells. The cell has three semiconductor layers on the back and one on the front of the silicon wafer. The front layer has a wider bandgap doped polysilicon with carbon or oxygen co-doping to match the back layers. This reduces front side parasitic absorption while preserving passivation. The layers are formed by tube PECVD and annealing instead of plate PECVD. The front layer thickness is 4-15nm with 2-10% volume of the back layer. This reduces front side parasitic absorption while preserving passivation. The cell structure reduces parasitic absorption compared to conventional back contact cells with amorphous silicon front layers, improving short circuit current and conversion efficiency

CN116525708B-patent-drawing

8. Solar Cell with Backside Passivation Layer Stack Including Tunneling Oxide and N-Type Doped Polysilicon

METAL INDUSTRIES RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CENTRE, 2023

Passivation contact solar cell with improved conversion efficiency by adding a backside passivation layer stack. The passivation structure is sandwiched between the silicon substrate and a cover layer. It consists of a tunneling oxide layer, an N-type doped polysilicon film, and the cover layer. The thickness of the doped polysilicon layer is 30-100nm. This backside passivation improves the carrier lifetime, surface recombination, and conversion efficiency of the solar cell.

CN116110977A-patent-drawing

9. Solar Cell with Sequentially Deposited Tunneling Oxide, Doped Polysilicon, and Corrosion-Resistant Layers Featuring Laser-Diffused Doping Profile

JINYANG QUANZHOU NEW ENERGY TECH CO LTD, 2022

A solar cell with enhanced efficiency through optimized back contact preparation. The cell features a silicon wafer with a light-receiving surface and back side, where the tunneling oxide layer, doped polysilicon layer, and corrosion-resistant film layer are sequentially deposited. The doped polysilicon layer has a specific thickness-to-depth ratio that maximizes emitter extension into the silicon chip while maintaining series resistance and surface passivation requirements. The preparation method employs laser diffusion to precisely control the doping profile and thickness of these layers, enabling the creation of a uniform emitter-doped region that enhances power conversion efficiency.

10. Solar Cell with Passivated Contact and Selective Emitter Featuring Tunnel Oxide and Doped Polysilicon Layers

Taizhou Zhonglai Photovoltaic Technology Co., Ltd., TAIZHOU ZHONGLAI PHOTOELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY CO LTD, 2022

Passivated contact solar cells with selective emitter and components and systems that enhance solar cell efficiency by addressing carrier recombination through selective emitter formation. The selective emitter is created through selective doping of the metal contact region, while the front contact is formed using a passivation structure that includes a thin tunnel oxide layer and doped polysilicon layer. This selective emitter and front contact architecture enables improved carrier collection and reduced recombination at the metal contact interface, thereby increasing the conversion efficiency of crystalline silicon solar cells.

CN217881546U-patent-drawing

11. Solar Cell with Selective Passivation Featuring Layered Front and Back Surface Structures and Laser-Induced Layer Formation

YINGLI ENERGY DEVELOPMENT CO LTD, 2022

Selective passivated contact solar cell that improves efficiency compared to conventional selectively passivated cells while reducing manufacturing complexity. The cell has a selective passivation structure on the front and back surfaces. The front surface has grid and non-grid regions. In the grid region, a thin silicon oxide layer is followed by a thin doped polysilicon layer. In the non-grid region, thicker oxide and silicon nitride layers are used. The back surface has a similar layering but with phosphorus-doped polysilicon instead. This selective passivation reduces light absorption compared to full coverage. The cell is made by laser oxidation and etching to create the selective layers without masks or patterning.

CN115020507A-patent-drawing

12. Crystalline Silicon Solar Cell with Transparent Metal and Oxide Electron Selective Passivation Contact Structure

SOOCHOW UNIVERSITY, 2022

Electron selective passivation contact structure for high efficiency crystalline silicon solar cells that improves conversion efficiency by reducing recombination and parasitic absorption. The structure involves an electron selective contact made of a transparent metal like silver on top of a thin oxide layer. The transparent metal allows electron transmission while the oxide passivates against recombination. The oxide layer can be zinc oxide or silicon oxide. The structure is applied to the front or back contact of the solar cell. It enables electron selective collection without parasitic absorption compared to conventional metal contacts. The oxide layer reduces recombination at the interface. The transparent metal maintains high fill factor and efficiency. The structure can be made by ALD deposition of the oxide layer followed by metal deposition.

13. Method for Solar Cell Passivation Using Selective Carrier Transport Layer with Integrated Doping and Passivation

JA SOLAR TECHNOLOGY YANGZHOU CO LTD, JA Solar Technology Co., Ltd., 2022

A method for optimizing solar cell passivation through selective carrier transport layer (CTTL) design. The method integrates a hydrogen-containing SiNx passivation layer with a dopant-containing CTTL, where the CTTL is selectively deposited on the passivation surface. The CTTL, comprising a dopant source, is activated by high-temperature annealing to achieve both doping and passivation. This integrated approach enables precise control over doping depth and uniformity, thereby improving solar cell performance characteristics such as fill factor, open-circuit voltage, and efficiency.

CN112071951B-patent-drawing

14. Solar Cell with Passivation Layer for Reduced Carrier Recombination and Enhanced Contact Transport

TAIZHOU ZHONGLAI PHOTOELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY CO LTD, Taizhou Zhonglai Photovoltaic Technology Co., Ltd., 2022

A passivation contact solar cell for solar energy conversion that enables high-efficiency solar cells through advanced contact engineering. The cell features a passivation layer that significantly reduces carrier recombination at the interface between the front and rear electrodes, enabling higher efficiency solar cells. The passivation layer is achieved through a novel combination of surface passivation and contact enhancement techniques, enabling efficient carrier transport across the interface. This approach enables solar cells with efficiencies approaching 30% or higher, making it a promising alternative to traditional PERC-based solar cells.

15. Solar Cell with Silicon Oxide Tunneling Layer for Backside Passivation

ZHEJIANG JINKO SOLAR CO LTD, 2022

Solar cell and preparation method for enhancing photovoltaic efficiency through improved backside passivation. The method employs a silicon oxide tunneling layer with a thickness range of 0.8 nm to 1.5 nm, which enables carrier transport through the tunneling barrier while maintaining sufficient passivation. This approach addresses the limitations of conventional polysilicon backside passivation layers, particularly in achieving optimal passivation while preventing carrier recombination. The tunneling layer's optimal thickness is determined based on its bandgap width and carrier mobility, ensuring optimal carrier transport while maintaining passivation.

CN114038928A-patent-drawing

16. Solar Cell with Triple-Layer Silicon Structure and Direct Contact Electrode Configuration

JA SOLAR TECHNOLOGY YANGZHOU CO LTD, 2022

Solar cell design and manufacturing method to improve conversion efficiency by reducing recombination at the contacts. The method involves sequentially growing three thin silicon layers on a passivation dielectric layer on the substrate. The outer layers contact each other and the middle layer has the metal contact electrode passing through both outer layers to contact the inner layer. This direct contact avoids damage to the outer layers during metal deposition that can cause recombination. The thin layers reduce shading and enable the direct contact.

17. Solar Cell Passivation Contact Structure with Hydrogen-Rich Silicon Carbide Layer

Zhejiang Aiko Solar Energy Technology Co., Ltd., ZHEJIANG AIKOSOLAR TECHNOLOGY CO LTD, 2021

Passivation contact structure for solar cells that addresses parasitic absorption through a novel hydrogen-based passivation mechanism. The structure incorporates a hydrogen-rich silicon carbide (SiC) layer on the solar cell's backside, which replaces traditional tunnel oxide layers and doping materials. This hydrogen-rich passivation layer enhances optical absorption while maintaining electrical passivation properties, significantly reducing parasitic absorption in solar cells.

CN215118914U-patent-drawing

18. Solar Cell with Dual-Sided Tunnel Oxide Passivation and Thickened P-Doped Silicon Layer

JOSIE JINKO SOLAR COMPANY LTD, 2021

Solar cell and module that enhance short-circuit current while maintaining high open circuit voltage through a novel tunnel oxide passivation contact structure. The structure features a thickened P-doped silicon layer region between the front and back electrodes, which enables improved lateral transport and reduces light absorption while maintaining high efficiency. The design allows for the conventional tunnel oxide passivation contact to be applied on both sides of the solar cell, while the thickened P-doped region on the back side provides enhanced current-carrying capability.

19. Solar Cells with Integrated Thin Film and Back Surface Anti-Reflection Layer in Passivated Contact Structure

TRINA SOLAR CO LTD, Trina Solar Co., Ltd., 2021

Solar cells with passivated contacts that overcome the conventional issue of light absorption in the contact area. The cells employ a novel approach where a thin film and a back surface anti-reflection layer are integrated into the contact structure. The back surface anti-reflection layer forms a metal grid line that directly interfaces with the passivation layer, enabling efficient light trapping while maintaining high contact performance. This architecture addresses the parasitic light loss associated with conventional polysilicon contact structures while maintaining the benefits of passivated contacts.

CN214753786U-patent-drawing

20. Solar Cell with Dual-Sided Tunneling Oxide and Doped Polysilicon Passivated Contacts

TRINA SOLAR CO LTD, 2021

Solar cell with passivated contact and preparation method thereof to improve efficiency by reducing surface recombination. The cell has passivation contact structures on both sides using tunneling oxide layers. On the front side, a doped polysilicon layer is sandwiched between tunneling oxide and antireflection layers. On the back side, a doped polysilicon layer is sandwiched between tunneling oxide and antireflection layers. Metal grid lines contact the doped polysilicon layers instead of silicon substrate to avoid direct metal-silicon contacts. This reduces surface recombination and improves efficiency.

CN113644142A-patent-drawing

21. Passivation Contact Structure with Transparent Conductive Film and Tunneling Layer for Solar Cells

22. Solar Cell Passivation System with Dual-Layer Silicon Nitride Architecture and Controlled Hydrogen Ion Injection

23. Solar Cell with Edge Passivation Using Tunnel Oxide and Doped Polysilicon Layers and Interdigitated Back Contacts

24. Solar Cell with Selective Emitter Passivation and Engineered Backside Polysilicon Layer

25. Solar Cell with ALD-Formed Backside Passivation Layer and Integrated Interconnect System

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