Influence of Ring Oxidation-Induced Stack Faults on Efficiency in Silicon Solar Cells

We observe a strong correlation between the ring oxidation-induced stack faults (OISF) formed in the course of phosphor diffusion and the efficiency of Czochralski-grown silicon solar cells. The main reason for ring-OISF formation and growth in substrate is the silicon oxidation and phosphorus diffusion process induced silicon self-interstitial point defect during POCl₃ diffusion. The decreasing of minority carrier diffusion length in crystal silicon solar cell induced by ring-OISF defects is identified to be one of the major causes of efficiency loss.