Laser-fired contacts for p-type c-Ge TPV devices

Thermophotovoltaic (TPV) systems, which convert radiant heat into electricity, have become the most efficient heat-to-electricity technology. However, efforts to reduce its cost must still be prioritized to make it commercially competitive. Our research group focuses on epitaxial-free TPV devices us...

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Autores: Rivera Vila, Gerard|||0009-0003-4206-9102, Gamel, Mansur Mohammed Ali, López Rodríguez, Gema|||0000-0003-4806-5180, Garin Escriva, Moises|||0000-0003-1309-7457, Martín García, Isidro|||0000-0001-8833-9057
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2025
País:España
Institución:Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)
Repositorio:UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:upcommons.upc.edu:2117/442340
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2117/442340
https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113837
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Germanium
TPV
Laser-fired contacts
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Energies
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Energies::Energia solar tèrmica
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network_acronym_str ES
network_name_str España
repository_id_str
spelling Laser-fired contacts for p-type c-Ge TPV devicesRivera Vila, Gerard|||0009-0003-4206-9102Gamel, Mansur Mohammed AliLópez Rodríguez, Gema|||0000-0003-4806-5180Garin Escriva, Moises|||0000-0003-1309-7457Martín García, Isidro|||0000-0001-8833-9057GermaniumTPVLaser-fired contactsÀrees temàtiques de la UPC::EnergiesÀrees temàtiques de la UPC::Energies::Energia solar tèrmicaThermophotovoltaic (TPV) systems, which convert radiant heat into electricity, have become the most efficient heat-to-electricity technology. However, efforts to reduce its cost must still be prioritized to make it commercially competitive. Our research group focuses on epitaxial-free TPV devices using crystalline germanium (c-Ge) as an absorber. Following this cost-effective approach, in this work we specifically report on partially contacted rear surfaces on p-type c-Ge devices defined by laser-firing aluminium films through a dielectric passivating layer, leading to the so-called laser-fired contacts. This approach has been successfully adopted in silicon solar cells and was explored in early c-Ge TPV devices, but posed many technological challenges. In this work, we use an infrared (¿ = 1064 nm) laser and commercial p-type c-Ge wafers (1.2 O cm) passivated with a Al2O3/a-SiC film stack. By ToF-SIMS measurements, we confirm that part of the aluminium is diffused inside the c-Ge substrate creating p+ regions. Additionally, by adjusting the aluminium thickness and the laser parameters, we are able to control the size of the spot while minimizing substrate damage. Optimized contacts lead to contact resistivity of 7.2·10-5 O cm2 and a surface recombination velocity at the contact of 1075 cm/s. As a proof of concept, this rear surface is introduced into c-Ge photovoltaic devices measured under 1 sun illumination, with a remarkable efficiency of 6.29 %. The obtained results suggest the potential of the contacts to be integrated in c-Ge devices optimized for TPV conditions.20252025-12-0120252025-09-24journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501VoRhttp://purl.org/coar/version/c_970fb48d4fbd8a85info:eu-repo/semantics/articleapplication/pdfhttps://hdl.handle.net/2117/442340https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113837reponame:UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPCinstname:Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)Inglésengopen accesshttp://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 Internationalhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:upcommons.upc.edu:2117/4423402026-05-27T15:37:01Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Laser-fired contacts for p-type c-Ge TPV devices
title Laser-fired contacts for p-type c-Ge TPV devices
spellingShingle Laser-fired contacts for p-type c-Ge TPV devices
Rivera Vila, Gerard|||0009-0003-4206-9102
Germanium
TPV
Laser-fired contacts
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Energies
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Energies::Energia solar tèrmica
title_short Laser-fired contacts for p-type c-Ge TPV devices
title_full Laser-fired contacts for p-type c-Ge TPV devices
title_fullStr Laser-fired contacts for p-type c-Ge TPV devices
title_full_unstemmed Laser-fired contacts for p-type c-Ge TPV devices
title_sort Laser-fired contacts for p-type c-Ge TPV devices
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Rivera Vila, Gerard|||0009-0003-4206-9102
Gamel, Mansur Mohammed Ali
López Rodríguez, Gema|||0000-0003-4806-5180
Garin Escriva, Moises|||0000-0003-1309-7457
Martín García, Isidro|||0000-0001-8833-9057
author Rivera Vila, Gerard|||0009-0003-4206-9102
author_facet Rivera Vila, Gerard|||0009-0003-4206-9102
Gamel, Mansur Mohammed Ali
López Rodríguez, Gema|||0000-0003-4806-5180
Garin Escriva, Moises|||0000-0003-1309-7457
Martín García, Isidro|||0000-0001-8833-9057
author_role author
author2 Gamel, Mansur Mohammed Ali
López Rodríguez, Gema|||0000-0003-4806-5180
Garin Escriva, Moises|||0000-0003-1309-7457
Martín García, Isidro|||0000-0001-8833-9057
author2_role author
author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Germanium
TPV
Laser-fired contacts
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Energies
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Energies::Energia solar tèrmica
topic Germanium
TPV
Laser-fired contacts
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Energies
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Energies::Energia solar tèrmica
description Thermophotovoltaic (TPV) systems, which convert radiant heat into electricity, have become the most efficient heat-to-electricity technology. However, efforts to reduce its cost must still be prioritized to make it commercially competitive. Our research group focuses on epitaxial-free TPV devices using crystalline germanium (c-Ge) as an absorber. Following this cost-effective approach, in this work we specifically report on partially contacted rear surfaces on p-type c-Ge devices defined by laser-firing aluminium films through a dielectric passivating layer, leading to the so-called laser-fired contacts. This approach has been successfully adopted in silicon solar cells and was explored in early c-Ge TPV devices, but posed many technological challenges. In this work, we use an infrared (¿ = 1064 nm) laser and commercial p-type c-Ge wafers (1.2 O cm) passivated with a Al2O3/a-SiC film stack. By ToF-SIMS measurements, we confirm that part of the aluminium is diffused inside the c-Ge substrate creating p+ regions. Additionally, by adjusting the aluminium thickness and the laser parameters, we are able to control the size of the spot while minimizing substrate damage. Optimized contacts lead to contact resistivity of 7.2·10-5 O cm2 and a surface recombination velocity at the contact of 1075 cm/s. As a proof of concept, this rear surface is introduced into c-Ge photovoltaic devices measured under 1 sun illumination, with a remarkable efficiency of 6.29 %. The obtained results suggest the potential of the contacts to be integrated in c-Ge devices optimized for TPV conditions.
publishDate 2025
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2025
2025-12-01
2025
2025-09-24
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv journal article
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
VoR
http://purl.org/coar/version/c_970fb48d4fbd8a85
dc.type.openaire.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
format article
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv https://hdl.handle.net/2117/442340
https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113837
url https://hdl.handle.net/2117/442340
https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113837
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
eng
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
language eng
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv open access
http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
dc.rights.openaire.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv open access
http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC
instname:Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)
instname_str Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)
reponame_str UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC
collection UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
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