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The Modeling Front Contact Metallization Grid

Pattern for Multi Crystalline Silicon Solar Cell
R. Jalali1,2,3, E. Faizabadi1, F. Behafarid2, 1Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, K. N. Toosi University of
Technology, 2Electronic and Computer Department, University of Tehran, 3Department of physics, Azad
University, Tehran , Iran

Abstract— The achievement of high efficiency in solar cells is 10cm × 10cm multi crystal silicon solar cell with square
depended upon minimizing parasitic losses. Some fraction of fingers and section 3 ends the paper with conclusion.
the power produced by the cell is necessarily lost by series
resistance associated with the grid and by shadowing of them. II. METHOD AND ANALYSIS
There are several approaches to reduction these losses, such as
choosing a more efficient pattern, optimizing line spacing, etc. The optimization analysis lead to a number of simple
The problem is further complicated by the need for dense relationships and ideas that if followed can result in the best
coverage of the cell area with the grid pattern to reduce the number of fingers. The pattern has got two busbars and
power loss caused by the lateral voltage drop in the active some fingers whose number is determined by optimizing
layer, and they need to avoid grid patterns that are too fine power losses. (A and B are the length and width of the unit
and too resistive. In this paper we investigate a special design cell respectively).
that minimize the power loss for 10cm × 10cm multi We assume that every area of the cell produces a constant
crystalline silicon solar cell based on the exact calculating of all added current density, that the current flow is in a straight
kind of power losses including shadowing, contact, lateral and
line to the nearest mesh element(Fig. 1), so the differential
metallization for fingers and power losses due to metallization
and shadowing for busbars. We achieved a method for exact power loss is dp = I 2 dR , where dR is the differential
calculation of metallization power loss for the current which resistance ρsdy/ dx ,
increased at every node and depends on the number of wires
which are parallel to the busbar. We find that the efficiency of
this cell is below that of a cell with standard pattern and it is
low cost manufacture too.
Index Terms— contact metallization, grid pattern, parasitic
losses, silicon solar cell. Fig.1: Wire mesh element unit cell and the
shape of produced current in fingers.

I. INTRODUCTION The fractional power loss due to sheet resistivity of the

I n the last years the integration of photovoltaic modules
into the urban environment has increased significantly.
emitter for 1/8 of square finger is calculated as follow,
a
2 L
; (1)
Pl = J ρ S ∫∫l x= y
2 2
Many roofs and facades of buildings are highly suited for an dxdl
incorporation of solar panels. However, for a wide 0 0

dissemination of photovoltaic in the built it seems necessary For convenience the power loss is normalized to the output
not only to have high efficiency but to offer panels which of the unit cell or unit finger.
are aesthetically pleasing and attractive to look at. The goal a4
Pl = ρ s j
of attractive appearance can be achieve in many ways, for 24 V ( a + T ) 2
instance by differently coloured cells. This is partly opposed (2)
to the aim of minimizing the amount of light reflected by Where ρ s is the specific sheet resistivity of the emitter, a
surface texturing, and anti-reflecting coating. Since the is the space between fingers, T is the width of finger, J and
design and dimension of the grid pattern metallization on V are current density and voltage at the maximum power
the front layer of solar cell is too important on the series point respectively.
resistance, collecting current and finally the efficiency[1-5],
in this paper we investigate a special design that minimize
the power loss of silicon multi-crystal solar cell based on
exact calculating of all kind of power losses including
shadowing power loss, contact power loss, lateral power
loss and metallization power loss[6-8] and the result is
plotted in the figures.This article is organized as follows. In Fig. 2: The 1/8 of the square finger of the unit cell and
section 2, we present our model and analysis all kind of an element of current in it.
power losses including shadowing, contact, lateral, and
metallization for The fractional power loss due to shadowing by the finger is,
P =
2 aT (3)
SH
a 2 + 2 aT

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The fractional power loss due to the contact resistance is, Ptot b = pmb + psh (14)
2
a
Pc = j ρ c
(a 2
+ 2 aT )V (4)
III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
By using of the following data,
Where ρ c is the specific contact resistance. The fractional
ρs = 30 Ωsquare A=10 cm
power loss caused by the series resistance of a finger
contains the assumption that the current increases linearly ρc = 3.57×10−7 Ω − cm2 B =5 cm
along the finger. The metallization power loss is calculated T = 0.005 cm tb =0.001cm
in different manner in the lines which are parallel or normal for a cheap multi-crystal silicon wafer by Ti/Pd/Ag
to the busbar. In the first case, power loss is calculated in metallization, and by using the derived equations in the
the 1/4 of the finger for symmetry considerations previous section, the optimum number of fingers for solar
2
⎡1 ⎤ cells has been achieved. This calculation states that the best
Pmp = ∫ ⎢⎣ 2 x ( a − x ) J ⎥ dR
⎦ (5) number of fingers are 24 or there are 4 parallel wires to
Where dR = ρsm
dx and then it is normalized as follow, busbar. The corresponding power loss is 4.8 % and the
T power loss due to the busbar is %3.19. The resulting total
a5 power loss is %7.8. So this pattern is a good one for the
Pmp = j ρ sm
60 TV ( a + T ) 2 (6) cheap silicon wafers relative to standard shape.[4] In
addition for considering more details we have calculated the
Where ρsm is the specific sheet resistivity of metal. In the
lateral loss by a numerical method. It is assumed in this
second case we have, approach that the current which have been created by an
1 5 2 a 1 3 infinitesimally small area among the exposed area (non
PmV = j 2 ρ sm a + ρ sm I O + I O j ρ sm a
96 T T 8T
(7) metallized area) is absorbed by the nearest metallized point.
Where IO is the current which increased at every node and As a result of this rational assumption, the exposed area is
depends on the number of wires which are parallel to the divided into several individual areas which every one feeds
busbar. If the number of these lines to be even, the current is one part of the metallized patterns (fingers) [5]. Each area
increased by the terms 6 I ,14 I , 22 I ,... while for the odd causes a special amount of lateral loss that can be calculated
number 2I ,10I ,18I ,26I ,... , where I is the current of the 1/8 by the numerical method. In this evaluation the wafer is
bombarded by large number of random points which every
of the finger.
14i
one statistically chooses the nearest finger or grid line. In
fact these points are nothing but virtual charge carriers on
6i the semi conductor of the cell. With using some
2i
2i
2i
mathematics we can calculate the average value of shape of
the border of the finger (the area on the semi conductor that
charge carriers, prefer to go the finger which is in it) which
is useful for calculating the lateral loss. We just calculate
Fig. 5: The current is increased at every node by 8I that important factor by analysing the place and condition of
those virtual charges which are bombarded on the wafer.
So the metallization power loss for fingers which normal to What happens in the 10*10 cell for calculation of lateral
busbar is loss is exactly what is explained above. Each finger absorbs
N a5 ⎧ N 4 N 3 7 2 65 15⎫ any virtual charge carrier that can reach to that finger and by
∑ PmV(odd) = j 2 ρsm T ⎨ + − N − N+ ⎬
1 ⎩ 4 2 16 96 32⎭ (8) keeping the data of each charge, in the end of the
N a 5 ⎧ N 4 N 3 1 2 17 1⎫ bombardment; we can approximate accurately the value of
∑ PmV(even) = j ρ sm ⎨
2
T ⎩ 4
+ + N − N+ ⎬
2 16 96 32⎭ the lateral loss. The calculation shows that this approach is
1
(9)
in good agreement with the previous one.
Where N is the number of wires which are parallel to the
busbar. It is related to the finger number by,
REFERENCES
n = 2 (N + 1 ) (10)
[1] A.Luque,et al,"Performance of front contact silicon solar cells under
Where n is the number of fingers at the unit cell. concentration", Progress in Photovoltaics, v 12, n 7, 517-528 ,2004.
The total power loss due to fingers can be achieved by [2] A.Luque,et al, "Two dimensional modeling of front contact silicon
summation of power losses. Thus, solar cells ", John Wiley & Sons, 503-516, 2004.
[3] H. Ohtsuka et al,"Bifacial silicon solar cells with 21.3% front
ptot = pl + psh + pc + pm (11) efficiency and 19.8% rear efficiency ", John Wiley & Sons, 385-390,
The metallization power loss in busbar is, 2000.
[4] M. Radike, J. Summhammer, "Electrical and shading power losses of
a2 (12) decorative PV front contact patterns", John Wiley & Sons, 399-
Pmb = ρ sm jB
6Vw b t b 407,1999
[5] A.R. Burger, "How to design optimal metallization patterns for solar
Where ρ sm is the specific sheet resistivity of metallization cells", John wiley & Sons, Apll 7, 457-461, 1999
[6] M. A. Green, "Solar cells operating principles, technology, and
and wb is the width of the busbar. The shadowing power
system applications", p 153-161, Hall, 1982
loss in busbar is, [7] G. A. Landis and P. R. Younger, Low cost solar cell front contact
2 wb using trapped silver mesh and electrostatic bonding, IEEE transaction,
Psh = (13) vol 2, No. 3, Sep 1979.
(b + wb )
[8] A. Geotzberger et al," Crystalline silicon solar cells", John Willey &
Then the total power loss in busbar is, Sons ,1994

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