Low temperature processing for crystalline Si solar cells

In this study we present a fabrication process for low temperature processing of rnicrocrystalline Si solar cells. The process is composed of 4 parts, a prestructuring of the substrate with a grating for light trapping, the deposition of an microcrystalline pn Si structure, a low temperature surface passivation and a standard process for contacting the device. We will present data of three aspects for this simplified fabrication process, namely the light trapping, the low temperature deposition of rnicrocrystalline layers on glass and metal substrates and the low temperature passivation by a LPCVD oxide. Model calculations performed for Si cells made by this process predict more than 15% efficiency.