Silicon solar cell with a novel low-resistance emitter structure

A silicon solar cell with over 19% efficiency at 100 suns, AM1.5, 20 °C, incorporating a novel front contact geometry, has been demonstrated. The cell has one third of its frontal area covered with metal and grid line spacing of 82 μ, as measured along the silicon surface. It uses V-groove etching, angle-contact metal evaporation, and a cover glass to allow high fractional grid coverage with low obscuration, thereby minimizing emitter resistance losses at high concentrations.