Silicon (Si) photovoltaics (PV) are likely to become increasingly popular as part of global efforts to achieve carbon neutrality and mitigate climate change. In recent decades, two major Si solar cell technologies, i.e., aluminium back surface field and passivated emitter and rear contact, have been mass produced to meet market demands. The industry is currently striving to establish long-term plans for technological advancement to align with the evolving and dynamic market environment. Back contact (BC) solar cells, realised through various contact formation technologies, are expected to represent the ultimate evolution of Si PV technology in terms of both efficiency and cost-effectiveness. In this study, the evolution of Si solar cell structures is reviewed. Challenges for BC solar cell manufacturing are discussed. We report the advancement of the BC technology at LONGi.
