Innovative industrial-scale manufacturing processes

The Industrial solar cells research group develops innovative, mass-production-compatible manufacturing processes for the next generation of silicon solar cells in the areas of PECVD coating, wet chemistry, and screen-print metallization.

A key focus is the PECVD deposition of doped polycrystalline silicon (POLO) – a process that enables excellent surface passivation and low series resistance while maintaining high industrial compatibility. This work lays the foundation for durable and high-performance solar cells that can be efficiently integrated into existing production lines.

High-efficiency POLO IBC solar cells

As part of ongoing research projects in cooperation with equipment manufacturers and solar cell producers, the POLO IBC cell (Interdigitated Back Contact) is being further developed as a promising cell concept for future PV applications, with a focus on higher efficiencies and cost-effective manufacturing processes.

The POLO IBC cell places all contacts on the rear side, minimizing optical losses on the front and improving the cell's current output. The aim is to achieve maximum efficiency with cost-effective fabrication. To this end, we are developing new manufacturing techniques for the low-cost structuring of poly-Si layers using laser ablation or shadow masks. The goal is to scale POLO IBC technology to an industrial level in terms of scalability, throughput, and long-term reliability.

Industry partnerships

In addition to publicly funded projects, the group is also engaged in bilateral industrial collaborations. Together with partners from the PV industry, new IBC solar cell concepts are being developed for specific production environments – covering the entire process from process development to cell characterization.

Towards high-efficiency POLO IBC solar cells based on a PERC+ processing technology

Publications

Industrial solar cells