Noemi Guerra

Research Abstract

Solar power is considered one of the most promising ways among alternative energies. For this reason, it has reached an important position in the research about enhancing solar cell applications. Photovoltaic (PV) cells are semiconductor devices that convert sunlight into direct current (DC) electricity by the photovoltaic effect, which is a physical and chemical phenomenon. Our team studies the characteristics of crystalline Silicon (c-Si) applied to the design of back contact – back junction (BC-BJ) solar cells, scheme that highly improves the conversion efficiency (h) due to the rear metallized arrangement. Regarding this matter, my research activities are mainly focused on simulating, defining and designing the suitable solar cell architecture. In order to reach this purpose, the technological and geometrical parameters such as substrate resistivity, material properties, doping profiles, as well as, the proper contact pattern, position, number and metallization fraction are taking into account.

Basically, the experimental work consists of a modeling analysis by means of three-dimensional (3D) electro-optical numerical simulations, based on the solution of the semiconductor equations and physical models that are necessary to represent the wafer fabrication steps and device operations. This process allows to understand the electrical behavior and minimize loss mechanisms that influence the main figures of merit for the best setup of the solar cell.

Our work is developed in Sentaurus TCAD (Technology Computer Aided Design) which is a very powerful software for simulating semiconductor device operations. Thus, it supports the decisions making based on the results analysis which also reduces technology development time and costs.