Fraunhofer ISE develops 24% low-cost n-type solar cell with TOPCon passivation

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email

Fraunhofer ISE said it had developed a low-cost rear contact Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact ‘TOPCon’ n-Type solar cell that has achieved a conversion efficiency of 24%.

According to Fraunhofer ISE TOPCon provides a passivated contact across the entire rear surface of the cell, while achieving improved surface passivation, reducing resistance losses.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

“We developed a selective passivated contact that allows the majority carriers to pass and prevents the minority carriers from recombining,” noted Dr. Martin Hermle, Head of Department “High-Efficiency Silicon Solar Cells” at Fraunhofer ISE. “TOPCon consists of an ultrathin tunnel-oxide and a thin silicon layer. The surface passivation is of excellent quality and the rear contact poses little resistance for the charge carrier transport.”

The research centre noted that a key hurdle in reaching high efficiencies with n-Type wafer/cells is the patterning scheme of the rear contact as the rear side metal contacts are an efficiency limiting factor.

The TOPCon cell was said to provide a simple rear contact without any patterning required, reducing costs and process complexity as only a small fraction of the rear area is contacted.

“We have now developed a simple rear contact without any patterning, with which we have achieved an excellent efficiency of 24 percent for an n-type solar cell,” said Dr. Stefan Glunz, Division Director, Solar Cells – Development and Characterization at Fraunhofer ISE.

Read Next

July 2, 2025
A new state-owned green bank, the Energy Security Corporation (ESC), has launched in New South Wales, Australia, with an initial funding allocation of AU$1 billion (US$640 million).
July 2, 2025
Asset management firm Capital Dynamics has secured €110 million (US$129.4 million) in financing for three solar PV projects in Spain.
July 2, 2025
The US Senate has narrowly passed – with a 51-50 vote and with vice-president JD Vance breaking the tie – the reconciliation bill yesterday (1 July) without the solar and wind excise tax.
Premium
July 2, 2025
ANALYSIS: China's leading PV manufacturers are locked in a new round of competition, aiming to outpace each other through record-breaking feats.
July 2, 2025
Investment manager Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners has begun commercial operations at a 373MW solar PV plant in the UK.
July 2, 2025
Indigenous-led renewable energy company Yindjibarndi Energy Corporation (YEC) has submitted plans for a hybrid wind and solar PV renewable energy project to the Australian government’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Media Partners, Solar Media Events
September 2, 2025
Mexico City, Mexico
Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece
Solar Media Events
September 22, 2025
Bilbao, Spain
Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK