New etching process for photovoltaic cells

Can metal-assisted chemical etching be used in solar cell industrial production?

Still, to be applied in the solar cell industrial production a light-trapping technique must be fully scalable and cost-effective. Metal-assisted chemical etching (MACE) is a very promising light-capture technique, that could become a standard method in the industrial production of crystalline silicon solar cells.

Can etching process be used in industrial production of silicon solar cells?

This aspect is particularly relevant when considering the introduction of the process in the industrial production of silicon solar cells, as a less stable etching process would be more difficult to implement. Fig. 11. Effective reflectivity of MACE etched samples as function of reaction time with ρ = 0.916 and ρ = 0.944. Fig. 12.

What is the etching process?

The etching process starts with the dip of the silicon wafers in the MACE solution. Since the chemical etching is exothermic and the reaction rate is dependents on the temperature, it is crucial to control and stabilize the etching temperature.

Can crystalline silicon nanostructures be used to passivate solar cells?

Being an essential step to achieve high-efficiency solar cells, the passivation of both monocrystalline and multicrystalline silicon nanostructured surfaces has been a topic of intense research [ , , , ].

Can crystalline silicon solar cells be recovered from photovoltaic modules?

Klugmann-Radziemska E, Ostrowski P (2010) Chemical treatment of crystalline silicon solar cells as a method of recovering pure silicon from photovoltaic modules. Renewable Energy 35 (8):1751–1759

Can textured solar cells be used in the production of silicon solar cells?

We consider that this method is particularly suited for the texturization of the front surface of back-contact solar cells. However, to be introduced in the production of silicon solar cells, an adequate passivation of the textured structures must be completed.