ABSTRACT

Solar cell is a semiconductor device that converts solar energy into electricity. First generation solar cells consist of silicon (Si) solar cells. Currently, almost 90% of the photovoltaic (PV) production market is based on Si wafer. This is due to the high efficiency, high durability and a longer life span of 30 years. The standard fabrication process for Si solar cells is initiated by washing and texturing the Si wafer, phosphorus diffusion for the formation of transmitters, the formation of top and bottom electrodes through screen printing and combustion process that completed the fabrication of solar cells. In industry, this standard process is performed on p-type Si wafer. On the other hand, the n-type wafer has a higher potential to produce high-efficiency solar cells. However, the process for producing Si solar cells on n-type Si wafer through a complicated and longer process, such as two diffusion process stages that lead to p-type wafers more widely used as it has a lower fabricating cost. In this study, the current-voltages of n-type Si solar cells fabricated using the adaptation of the standard fabrication process of p-type wafer is analyzed and discussed. From the simulation study using PC1D software, it was found that the efficiency of the p-type and n-type solar cells that were fabricated using the same method were 19.63% and 20.16%. While the experimental results showed efficiency of 9.44% and 5.51% of the p-type and n-type solar cells.

Keywords: n-type; p-type; PC1D; solar cell Si; wafer Si

RUJUKAN

Abdullah, H., Saadah, N.H. & Ariyanto, N. 2009. Kesan pengedopan rendah ke atas bahan nanostruktur ZnO:AL sebagai lapisan anti-pantulan. Sains Malaysiana38(5): 679-683.

Alurralde, M., Tamasi, M.J.L., Bruno, C.J., Mart́nez Bogado, M.G., Plá, J., Fernández Vázquez, J., Duran, J., Schuff, J., Burlon, A.A., Stoliar. P. & Kreiner, A.J. 2004. Experimental and theoretical radiation damage studies on crystalline silicon solar cells. Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells 82(4): 531-542.

Asim, N., Sopian, K., Ahmadi, S., Saeedfar, K., Alghoul, M.A., Saadatian, O. & Zaidi, S.H. 2012. A review on the role of materials science in solar cells. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 16(8): 5834-5847.

Cotter, J.E., Guo, J.H., Cousins, P.J., Abbott, M.D., Chen, F.W. & Fisher, K.C. 2006. P-type versus n-type silicon wafers: Prospects for high-efficiency commercial silicon solar cells. IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices 53(8): 1893-1901.

Fonash, S. 2010. Solar Cell Device Physics. 2nd ed. New York: Elsevier Inc.

Glunz, S.W., Preu, R. & Biro, D. 2012. Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells. State-of-the-Art and Future Developments. Comprehensive Renewable Energy (Vol. 1). New York: Elsevier Ltd.

Green, M.A., Emery, K., Hishikawa, Y., Warta, W. & Dunlop, E.D. 2016. Solar cells utilizing small molecular weight organic semiconductors. Prog. Photovolt: Res. Appl. 48(24): 905-913.

Goetzberger, A., Hebling, C. & Schock, H.W. 2003. Photovoltaic materials, history, status and outlook. Materials Science and Engineering: R: Reports 40(1): 1-46.

ITRPV. 2017. International Technology Roadmap for Photovoltaic (ITRPV), 2016 Results. Itrpv Eighth Edition. pp. 1-37.

Joris Libal, D.R.K. 2015. N-type silicon solar cell technology: Ready for take off? http://www.pvtech.org/guest_blog/n_type_silicon_solar_cell_technology_ready_for_take_off. Diakses pada 18 Jun 2017.

Leong, C.S. 2013. Evaluation of oxide passivated low reflection nano-structured solar cells. Tesis. Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (tidak diterbitkan).

Markvart, T. & Castañer, L. 2005. Solar Cells: Materials, Manufacture and Operation. Oxford: Elesevier Ltd.

Oktiawati, U.Y., Mohamed, N.M. & Burhanudin Z.A. 2017. Applications of Taguchi method for optimization of dye solar cell design. Sains Malaysiana46(3): 503-508.

Sepeai, S., Zaidi, S.H., Desa, M.K.M., Sulaiman, M.Y., Ludin, N.A., Ibrahim, M.A. & Sopian, K. 2013. Design optimisation of bifacial solar cells by PC1D simulation. Journal of Energy Technologies and Policy 3(5): 1-11.

Untila, G.G. & Zaks, M.B. 2011. Silicon-based photovoltaics: State of the art and main lines of development. Thermal Engineering 58(11): 932-947.

Zhao, J., Wang, A., Campbell, P. & Green, M.A. 1999. A 19.8% efficient honeycomb multicrystalline silicon solar cell with improved light trapping. IEEE Transaction on Electron Devices. 46(10): 1978-1983.

*Pengarang untuk surat-menyurat; email: suhailas@ukm.edu.my