Simultaneous infiltration and recrystallization of SiSiC ceramics for crystalline silicon thin-film solar cells

Crystalline silicon thin-film (CSiTF) solar cells have a good potential to reduce the cost of silicon solar cells. In the so-called high-temperature approach for manufacturing CSiTF solar cells, ceramics shall be used as substrate, amongst other low-cost substrates. This work presents the research done for manufacturing CSiTF solar cells on SiSiC ceramics in a special way. Homogeneous and crack-free Si-SiC-C green tapes were manufactured in large sizes by the tape casting method. Intermediate layers and silicon layers were deposited onto the coked green tape by CVD. A special zone-melting process was applied for simultaneous infiltration and reaction bonding of the green tapes as well as recrystallization of the seeding layer. This so-called 'SIR' process offers a low cost perspective to manufacture coarse-grained silicon seeding layers on top of SiSiC substrates. Efficiencies up to 6.3% could be achieved for solar cells prepared in epitaxially thickened SIR layers.