Black Silicone Photovoltaic Panel

Is black silicon a good material for photovoltaics?

Black silicon would also appear to be an ideal material for photovoltaics due to its outstanding light management properties under the solar spectrum. In addition to boosting efficiency, b-Si can provide significant savings in manufacturing costs as there is no need to deposit a separate antireflection coating.

What is a black silicon solar cell?

Black silicon is layered on the front surface, usually with another passivation layer. In a recent study by Savin et al. [ 6 ], they have reported a record-breaking b-Si solar cell efficiency of 22.1% using an IBC configuration. Fig. 12 (b) shows the configuration of the solar cell used in their study.

Are black silicon solar cells better than conventional solar cells?

Black silicon solar cells achieve efficiencies higher than conventional cells. The main challenge is to minimize recombination due to increased surface area. Experimental data are available for certain configurations but need improvement. Combined optical–electron–hole–phonon transport models are underdeveloped.

Can black silicon reduce front-surface reflection in photovoltaic devices?

The nanostructuring of silicon surfaces—known as black silicon—is a promising approach to eliminate front-surface reflection in photovoltaic devices without the need for a conventional antireflection coating. This might lead to both an increase in efficiency and a reduction in the manufacturing costs of solar cells.

Can black silicon nanotexture be used in ultra-thin silicon photovoltaics?

The proof-of-concept cell, encapsulated in glass, achieved a 16.4% efficiency with an J SC = 35 mA cm −2, representing a 43% improvement in output power with respect to the reference polished cell. These results demonstrate the vast potential of black silicon nanotexture in future extremely-thin silicon photovoltaics.

Can black silicon solar cells be used for industrial production?

We demonstrate that efficiencies above 22% can be reached, even in thick interdigitated back-contacted cells, where carrier transport is very sensitive to front surface passivation. This means that the surface recombination issue has truly been solved and black silicon solar cells have real potential for industrial production.