High Efficiency Hybrid Interdigitated Back Contact Silicon Solar Cells

The interdigitated back contact (IBC) silicon solar cell, introduced in 1975, offers high efficiency but has been hindered by manufacturability challenges and high production costs, limiting its widespread adoption. In contrast, front and back contact (FBC) silicon PV technology has achieved large-scale industrialization, producing hundreds of gigawatts annually. This industrial maturity now provides a foundation for advancing IBC technology, with the goal of maximizing power output in limited spaces. Contact formation techniques from PERC, HJT, and TOPCon technologies can be adapted for IBC fabrication. By incorporating P/N contacts from two different technologies, a hybrid IBC (HIBC) structure can be developed. For instance, the combination of TOPCon and PERC contacts has already been explored by several teams and implemented in mass production. In this study, we demonstrate a 27.52% efficiency HIBC solar cell utilizing a combination of high-temperature and low-temperature contacts.