XPS in‐depth composition study on commercial monocrystalline silicon solar cells

From large‐scale production, two monocrystalline silicon solar cells of different quality, i.e. I_SC = 3.0 A (good cell) and I_SC = 1.6 A (bad cell), have been studied by XPS combined with 4 keV Ar⁺ depth profiling. Depth profiling was carried out through the anti‐reflection coating (TiO₂), the passivation layer (SiO₂) and up into the phosphorus‐doped silicon bulk. At the solar cell surface the elemental composition is similar for both cells, although the bad one presents slightly more carbon, phosphorus and lead but less silver than the good one. During profiling, carbon and silver could be followed by XPS. It was found that the carbon content is distinguishably higher in the bad cell than in the good one. Furthermore, it was found that silver atoms have not diffused in the same way in both cells. Only the good cell presents silver atoms up into the silicon bulk. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.