DISC

The end of the DISC project

During the last three years, the DISC project focused to fully exploit the potential of silicon to its maximum using the carrier selective contacts with very simple device architecture (non-patterned double-side contacted cells) with industrial feasible technologies. Although the target cell efficiency of 25.5% has not been achieved within the project’s duration due to unexpected bad interplay between the poly-Si based CSC and the TCO, a possible solution for this problem has been developed by applying TCO with hydrogen additives and by introducing post-annealing at elevated temperature.

Nevertheless, the excellent single components developed within the DISC project are also compatible with SHJ technology as recently demonstrated by CEA-INES with 24.4 % SHJ solar cell. Furthermore, the DISC project contributed to strengthening the PV industry in Europe, since the industry partners like Meyer Burger, Von Ardenne and Meco successfully exploited the project outcomes to their equipment and to manufacturing plant of Ecosolifer.

The main achievements of the DISC project are:

• Demonstration of 22.2% cell efficiency on M2 size wafer with passivating contacts on both-sides and plating metallization on AZO.
• Improved understanding of the interplay between CSJ and TCO by 3 round robins and advanced characterization of 10 TCO layers.
• Improved metallization approaches for carrier selective contacts featuring TCOs yielding >82% fill factor with potential to go beyond 84%.
• The DISC cells passed the stability tests and reached targets set forth for economical, environmental and social acceptance.
• Development of new contacting unit for advanced characterization of busbarless solar cells verified by round-robin measurements.

The final newsletter was also released and is available for download.

High Efficiency Approaches in c-Si PV Workshop

The DISC project together with the NextBase and Ampere projects presented the main results of the three projects in a High Efficiency Approaches in Crystalline Silicon PV Workshop today in Le Bourget du Lac in France.

In addition to research and exploitation presentations of the three projects, there were excellent invited talks about the future of photovoltaics in Europe:

• Introductory talk by Anis Jouini: PV in Europe – the new era.
• Invited talk by Pierre Verlinden: PV Technology Challenges for the next decade – Research and Manufacturing.
• Invited talk by Walburga Hemetsberger: Solar – Powering Europe’s Green Deal.

M36 project meeting

The general assembly meeting at the end of the project was hosted by CEA-INES in Chambery, France on Sep 24 2019. The effort of the consortium members during the last six months was focused in pushing the limits to reach the project goals.

More.

DISC Project at EU PVSEC 2019

The DISC project is present at the European Photovoltaic conference at Marseille France this week.

We are looking forward to welcome you at the booth F1: H2020 Projects for the Future of PV in EU where we are present together with sister projects Ampere and NextBase.

The research results will be presented with 7 contributions:

• J.J. Diaz Leon et al; Integration Avenues in Solar Cells Implementing Passivating Contacts (2BO.2.4, Tue 14:15, Audit 2)
• S. Bordihn et al; Modelling of Passivation and Conductivity of n-Type Poly-Si Layers Adapting Machine Learning (2BO.3.1, Tue 15:15, Audit 1)
• A. Veau et al; Polysilicon Layers Doped by Plasma Immersion Ion Implantation (PIII): New Paths for Industrial Processing of Passivated Contacts Solar Cells (2BO.3.3, Tue 15:45, Audit 1)
• E. Bruhat et al; Fired Hydrogenated AZO Layers: A New Passivation Approach for High Temperature Passivated Contact Solar Cells (2CO.9.1, Wed 8.30, Audit 4)
• C. Poulopoulos et al; Environmental and Social Impact Assessment of High-Efficient Double Side Contacted Cells with Innovative Carrier Selective Contacts (4.AV.2.56, Mon 17:00, Poster Area)
• M. Winter et al; Degradation and Regeneration of n+-Poly-Si on Oxide Surface Passivation under Illumination and Dark Annealing on p-Type Cz-Si (2CV.2.4, Wed 12:45, Poster Area)
• J. Jourdan et al; Development of Phosphorus Thin Doped Layers by Plasma Immersion for Homo- Hetero Junction Solar Cells Application (2DV.1.56, Thu 12:45, Poster Area)

Final workshop

As the DISC project is comming to the end, we are cordialy inviting you to attend the final workshop ‘High Efficiency Approaches in Crystalline Silicon PV’.

The workshop will be organized jointly by three Horizon 2020 project in the field of Photovoltaics: (DISC, AMPERE, and NextBase). During the wokrshop main R&D results of the projects will be presented accompanied with market and industrial section in the afternoon, where the future of PV in EU will be discussed. The workshop will be held on the 25th of September 2019 in Chambery, France.

You can find detailed information here.

M30 project meeting

The general assembly meeting at month 30 was hosted by MECO in Drunen, The Netherlands on Apr 2-3 2019. Most of the effort in this project period was put into integration of different components with supporting research and development from base work packages.

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DISC @ Silicon PV 2019

The DISC project will present some of its result at the Silicon PV 2019 conference in Leuven, Belgium between April 8 and 10.

We will be present with 5 scientific contributions:

• T. Hatt et al.; Establishment of the Native Oxide Barrier Layer for Selective Electroplated Metallization for Bifacial Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells; Mon, April 08; 17:00-18:30 – Session 4
• E. Bruhat et al.;TCO contacts on poly-Si layers: High and Low Temperature Approaches to Maintain Passivation and Contact Properties; Wed, April 10; 13:45-15:00 – Session 10
• A. Čampa et al.; New Characterization Method for Determination of Surface Recombination Rate of Carrier Selective Junctions; Mon, April 08; 13:00-14:00 – Poster Session 1: S1-03
• J.J Diaz Leon et al.; Integration Avenues in Solar Cells Implementing Passivating Contacts; Mon, April 8; 16:00-17:00 – Poster Session 2: S2-09
• A. Veau et al.; Ex Situ Phosphorus Doped Polysilicon Films by Plasma Immersion Ion Implantation (PIII): Controlling and Simplifying Passivated Contacts Integration; Mon, April 8; 16:00-17:00 – Poster Session 2: S2-33

Archive: 2016, 2017, 2018.