There are many types and styles of solar cells. However, it is important that you know which ones will work best for you. There are two types: monocrystalline PV cells and concentrated PV cell. There's also the N-type with contact selective charge carriers. Let's look at these and other types more closely. These information might be useful for choosing the right solar cells. You can also check out the article below to learn more about these types of solar cells.
Monocrystalline
A monocrystalline solar cell is one of the most efficient types of cells for generating electricity. These solar cells can be made using the Czochralski method. This involves placing a rod containing a seed crystal in a bath of silicon molten. The rod is slowly pulled up while simultaneously rotating. The result is a cylindrical monocrystalline ingot that can measure up to two meters in length and weigh several hundred kilograms. Monocrystalline solar cell are the most durable, efficient, and long-lasting solar cells currently available.
For monocrystalline solar cells, the silicon molten is pulled until it forms a cylinder-shaped crystal. It is then cooled to a brittle state and then fragmented. The cool molten silicon is then transferred to crucibles that look like cubicles. The resulting thin molten silicon wafers are then polished, diffused and assembled into monocrystalline sheets. The initial pure silicon ingot is round, and the process of slicing it results in square wafers with rounded edges. The cells look more dense because of the tiny gaps between them.
Concentrated PV
A concentrator can be described as a photovoltaic panel that converts a single ray of sunlight to an electrical current. Concentrated sunlight is necessary for a concentrator to work optimally. A concentrator requires less space and a heat sink. This type of solar panel can only be used in areas with a high level of direct sunlight. Concentrated solar energy is a good way to harness the sun's power. To be economically viable, they need to have certain optical design features that can be mass produced. Concentrated solar cells should also be resistant against manufacturing and mounting errors.
This type of solar cells can be made with 500 to 1000x more concentrations than traditional PV systems. This technique is more accepting than conventional PV systems, and allows for higher tolerances in mass production. This lowers the cost structural elements. This solar cell type is the most promising way to convert solar energy to electricity. Concentrated solar cells allow for more efficient conversion. This type of solar panel produces the highest efficiency photovoltaic system.
N-type
The popularity and acceptance of n-type cells is increasing for some time. They are a viable alternative for the P-PERC cells, which have been around for decades. The latest edition of the ITRPV road map includes a chapter on N-type solar cells. In Konstanz, more than 200 scientists from twenty countries took part in the 2011 nPV workshop. This trend is expected continue as n-type cells are still gaining popularity.
The way that they are made is the main difference between p and n-type solar cell types. Phosphorus-doped cells have a higher resistivity variation through the ingot than n-type cells do, primarily because of the inclusion of boron. This results in lower yield. The P-type cells on the other side have a lower resistivity variation, and a low segregation coefficient, making them suitable for industrial processing.
N-type contact with charge carrier selected contacts
A new method has been developed to construct charge carrier selective contacts for N-type silicon solar cell N-types. Topcon uses a combination of a thin tunnel oxide layer and a thin silicon coating to provide excellent charge carrier selectiveness. Topcon's backside (Figure 1) has a record efficiency rate of 25.3% when compared to n-type Silicon. In addition, TOPcon allows for better efficiency compared to conventional N-type solar cells.
In silicon solar panels, the upper limit can be determined using the majority carrier contact resistance as well as the minor carrier current. It is important that you consider the differences between a silicon solar cell of type n and p, as changes in these values could alter the contact fraction. For optimum efficiency, a cell with charge carrier selective contacts should have a lower SPV than a cell made from a p-type semiconductor.