A new cell structure for very thin high-efficiency silicon solar cells

The cell has a corrugated structure, which is formed by aligned V grooves on both the front and back surfaces. The substrate thickness is reduced to 50 mu m while retaining high mechanical strength. This permits ease of handling during the fabrication process and subsequent procedures. This thin substrate promises a very high open-circuit voltage, and the structure is also beneficial to high optical performance. The surface reflectance is reduced in the same manner as that of V-grooved cells, but the optical path is lengthened by a minimum of four times the substrate thickness. Performance of experimental cells is also discussed.< >