High current, thin silicon-on-ceramic solar cell

Thin-film polycrystalline silicon solar cells offer the potential to achiev e 19% efficient photovoltaic power conversion. Well-designed, 20-100 micron thick, thin-film silicon solar cells can achieve high efficiency by employ ing light trapping and back surface passivation. Low cost is achieved by mi nimizing the amount of feedstock silicon required per watt of power output. Electrically insulating supporting substrates enable monolithic. series-co nnected submodules. a solar cell device comprised of a 20 micron thick laye r of silicon grown on an insulating ceramic substrate, designed to effect l ight-trapping and hack surface passivation, has resulted in an independentl y verified short circuit current of 25.8 mA/cm(2). Analysis of the spectral response of the solar cell indicates the presence of both fight-trapping a nd hack surface passivation with an effective diffusion length in excess of twice the device thickness.