Wafer thickness, texture and performance of multi-crystalline silicon solar cells

The influence of wafer thickness and surface texturing of silicon solar cells on cell results has been investigated using neighbouring multi-crystalline silicon wafers with thickness ranging from 150 to 350 μm and isotropic NaOH or acid etched. It was found experimentally that V oc decreases nearly 1.5% and J sc decreases nearly 3%, resulting in a 4% relative decrease in efficiency, in halving the wafer thickness. These trends are independent of the front surface texturing. Front surface texturing, however, results in a 6% increase of J sc and a nearly 6% increase in efficiency independent of the wafer thickness.