Investigation of monocrystalline p-type PERC cells featuring the laser enhanced contact optimization process and new LECO paste

Screen-printed metal-semiconductor contacts as the mainstream-metallization of industrially produced silicon solar cells are currently a major topic in research, as they still show high potential for cell efficiency improvement. The Laser Enhanced Contact Optimization (LECO) process developed by the CE Cell Engineering GmbH enables the generation of a new contact structure that is capable of generating low ohmic metal-semiconductor contacts while preserving the contact passivation. In this study, we investigate the impact of the LECO process on monocrystalline p-type PERC solar cells that feature a front side metallization paste that was especially developed for the LECO process. As highlight from this investigation, a gain in short circuit current can be reported, additionally to a previously reported gain in open circuit voltage enabled by LECO.