16% efficiency on encapsulated large area screen printed string ribbon cell

Large area solar cells have been processed at the University of Konstanz using a standard industrial type SiN fire-through process on evergreen solar's string ribbon multicrystalline silicon material. Emphasis was laid on the effect of encapsulation under module glass concerning reflection and efficiency. Therefore the optical properties of different glasses have been determined. Cells having two different thicknesses of the SiN layer have been characterised by spectral response as well as IV data analysis before and after encapsulation. The highest efficiency reached in this investigation was 16% using a 8/spl times/10 cm/sup 2/ solar cell (independently confirmed) which is the highest value reached so far on string ribbon material using large area industrial type processing.