Simulation of interdigitated back contact solar cell with trench structure

We performed two-dimensional technology computer-aided design simulations for interdigitated back contact (IBC) solar cells with rear trench structures (TS), denoted here as TS-IBC solar cells. First, we calculated a reference simulation model for conventional IBC solar cells. We then assumed a trench structure at the rear surface of the IBC solar cell. For this structure, we analyzed solar cell performance as a function of various trench depths and type. It was found that emitter trench formation affects minority carrier collection, such that the short-circuit current density increases with increasing trench depth. However, the back-surface field (BSF) trench exhibited poor minority carrier collection, which reduced the conversion efficiency of the TS-IBC solar cells. It was also found that for the same trench depth (30 μm), the difference in conversion efficiencies of an IBC solar cell with an emitter trench and that with a BSF trench was 0.6%. We are thus convinced that the emitter trench structure is more important than the BSF trench structure.