Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering
The employment of poly-Si/SiOX passivated contacts on Si solar cells (TOPcon) has garnered considerable attention recently. Owing to the high conversion efficiency and the relatively straightforward adaptability of the pre-existing fabrication process, numerous companies have redirected their production lines toward n-type TOPCon solar cells. Both the academic and industrial sectors are actively exploring techniques to push the efficiency limits of TOPCon structure solar cells. The utilization of poly-Si passivated contacts on both polarities exhibits significant potential for further increasing the open-circuit voltage (VOC), which also could be applied in tandem solar cells. The project aims to further improve the solar cell efficiency from the standard TOPCon structure to the next generations and lower the cost by replacing Ag contacts with cheaper metals.
School
Research Area
Photovoltaics | Solar cells | Metallization | Passivation
- Research Environment
- Expected Outcomes
- Supervisory Team
- Reference Material/Links
UNSW-SPREE hosts the largest, most successful University-based PV research group in Australia and internationally, already having major impact upon mainstream cell technology (PERC cells, "advanced hydrogenation", pioneering laser-based cell processing, also tunnelling contacts, including "TOPCon"). Graduates created remarkable representation/contacts within the manufacturing industry (employing >300 graduates of UNSW's "world-first" undergraduate PV program). For this project, highly specialised processing, characterisation and modeling tools are accessible at SPREE and the Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre. Moreover, conducting this research at UNSW SPREE will also provide the students with a supportive environment and access to world-leading experts in the field.
Students will get high-quality training and research capability development;
Students will get a chance to connect with world-leading PV manufacturers
