Evaluation of Si Ribbon Crystals for Solar Cells

Defect structures, electrical properties of the Si ribbon crystals were investigated. Performances of Si ribbon solar cells were also measured. It was found that twin boundaries did not degrade the electrical properties. Whereas irregular boundaries deteriorated the minority carrier lifetime appreciably. The solar cells fabricated from the ribbon crystals did not show inferior properties in spite of the existence of the defects in the crystals when the surface contact was kept off the SiC particles embedded in the ribbon surface.