Impact of Postplating Annealing on Defect Activation in Boron-Doped PERC Solar Cells

In this article, the impact of postplating annealing on the regenerated state of boron-doped p-type passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC) solar cells with plated Ni/Cu/Ag front-side contacts is characterized. The assessment of different plating annealing profiles in the temperature range of 200-300 °C and their impact on light-induced degradation as well as on additional defects are realized by lifetime measurements of nonmetallized solar cell precursors before and after annealing. An observed lifetime degradation indicates that the current process sequence might facilitate bulk defect activation. An alternative process sequence is tested and promising results are presented.