Sputtered polySi(n) passivating contacts compatible with direct metallization

Passivating contacts based on a thin silicon oxide/doped polysilicon stack and activated during a high temperature process (polySi) are increasingly adopted in industry thanks to their compatibility with mainstream solar cell processing and high-performance potential. Efficiencies above 25.2% have been shown for n-type poySi as a carrier selective contact integrated at the rear side of PERT-like solar cells by solar cell manufacturers [1]. At this point, single-sided deposition and doping combined with direct metallization are critical towards the industrialization of polySi-based solar cells. Herein, it will be shown how sputtering can be a high-throughput, low-cost solution for n-type polySi deposition. The compatibility of sputtered polySi layers with direct metallization is demonstrated.