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A collaborative study by DAS Solar, Hebei University, and Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, reported by pv magazine, has distinguished between two categories of pinholes at a key interface in TOPCon solar cells. The findings indicate that not all pinholes are detrimental to cell performance.
The research differentiates harmful recombinational pinholes from beneficial passivating pinholes. Recombinational pinholes, a previously known type, occur where polycrystalline silicon directly contacts crystalline silicon, creating defects that lead to significant carrier recombination. In contrast, the newly identified passivating pinholes retain sufficient oxygen at that same interface, which allows them to neutralize those defects while still permitting efficient carrier tunneling.
This specific microstructure is not found in silicon heterojunction or passivated emitter and rear contact solar cell designs. The presence of passivating pinholes suggests a mechanism for TOPCon cells to reach higher performance levels, consistent with earlier theoretical models.
During standard industrial production, uneven surfaces from rear-side polishing can create oxide layers of non-uniform thickness. The study outlines three potential outcomes: a thick oxide layer that passivates defects but hinders carrier movement; a thin layer that leads to oxygen-deficient, recombinational pinholes; and an intermediate scenario where oxygen remains at contact points, forming passivating pinholes. The third scenario had not been physically observed in crystalline silicon photovoltaics prior to this work.
Using advanced microscopy techniques for atomic-level observation, the team obtained clear evidence of both pinhole types. They constructed TOPCon solar cells on quasi-square wafers using a process that included optimized oxidation, tailored rear-side polishing, and specific polycrystalline silicon deposition methods.
In these cells, pinholes in an ultra-thin insulating layer are categorized as either oxygen-depleted or oxygen-rich, corresponding to the recombinational and passivating types, respectively. Analysis showed that high-efficiency devices contained pinholes with sufficient interfacial oxygen, creating the passivating variety with smaller oxygen-depleted areas. Lower-efficiency devices exhibited pinholes lacking oxygen, resulting in larger depleted areas and the conventional recombinational type.
Under standard testing conditions, a top-performing cell incorporating passivating pinholes demonstrated a power conversion efficiency of 25.40% and a specific open-circuit voltage. The research concludes that industrial efforts to improve TOPCon cell efficiency should focus on optimizing back-surface polishing, oxide layer formation, and polycrystalline layer processing to promote the formation of passivating pinholes. This approach aims to balance interface passivation with carrier transport to achieve higher voltages and fill factors.
The same research group previously disclosed a method for locating hot-spots in TOPCon back-contact modules and developed a solar cell with a novel hole transport layer designed to streamline manufacturing and lower expenses.
This report provides a comprehensive view of the solar cells and light-emitting diodes industry in China, tracking demand, supply, and trade flows across the national value chain. It explains how demand across key channels and end-use segments shapes consumption patterns, while also mapping the role of input availability, production efficiency, and regulatory standards on supply.
Beyond headline metrics, the study benchmarks prices, margins, and trade routes so you can see where value is created and how it moves between domestic suppliers and international partners. The analysis is designed to support strategic planning, market entry, portfolio prioritization, and risk management in the solar cells and light-emitting diodes landscape in China.
The report combines market sizing with trade intelligence and price analytics for China. It covers both historical performance and the forward outlook to 2035, allowing you to compare cycles, structural shifts, and policy impacts.
This report provides a consistent view of market size, trade balance, prices, and per-capita indicators for China. The profile highlights demand structure and trade position, enabling benchmarking against regional and global peers.
The analysis is built on a multi-source framework that combines official statistics, trade records, company disclosures, and expert validation. Data are standardized, reconciled, and cross-checked to ensure consistency across time series.
All data are normalized to a common product definition and mapped to a consistent set of codes. This ensures that comparisons across time are aligned and actionable.
The forecast horizon extends to 2035 and is based on a structured model that links solar cells and light-emitting diodes demand and supply to macroeconomic indicators, trade patterns, and sector-specific drivers. The model captures both cyclical and structural factors and reflects known policy and technology shifts in China.
Each projection is built from national historical patterns and the broader regional context, allowing the report to show where growth is concentrated and where risks are elevated.
Prices are analyzed in detail, including export and import unit values, regional spreads, and changes in trade costs. The report highlights how seasonality, freight rates, exchange rates, and supply disruptions influence pricing and margins.
Key producers, exporters, and distributors are profiled with a focus on their operational scale, geographic footprint, product mix, and market positioning. This helps identify competitive pressure points, partnership opportunities, and routes to differentiation.
This report is designed for manufacturers, distributors, importers, wholesalers, investors, and advisors who need a clear, data-driven picture of solar cells and light-emitting diodes dynamics in China.
The market size aggregates consumption and trade data, presented in both value and volume terms.
The projections combine historical trends with macroeconomic indicators, trade dynamics, and sector-specific drivers.
Yes, it includes export and import unit values, regional spreads, and a pricing outlook to 2035.
The report benchmarks market size, trade balance, prices, and per-capita indicators for China.
Yes, it highlights demand hotspots, trade routes, pricing trends, and competitive context.
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