Polycrystalline Si Solar Cell

SUBMITTED BY
NIKHIL CHERIAN JACOB
M.SC CHEMISTRY
 Introduction
• Polycrystalline silicon, or multi-crystalline silicon, also called polysilicon, poly-si, or mc-si, is a high-purity, polycrystalline form
of silicon, used as a raw material by the solar photovoltaic and electronics industry.

• Polysilicon is produced from metallurgical grade silicon by a chemical purification process, called the siemens process. this process
involves the distillation of volatile silicon compounds and their decomposition into silicon at high temperatures.

• A polycrystalline silicon (polycrystalline or poly-si) solar cell is a type of photovoltaic

cell used to convert sunlight into electricity.

• Unlike monocrystalline silicon solar cells, which are made from a single crystal

structure, polycrystalline silicon cells are composed of multiple silicon crystal

structures, giving them a more irregular appearance.

• In the case of polycrystalline solar cells, the vat of molten silicon used to produce the

cells is allowed to cool on the panel itself.

• These solar panels have a surface that looks like a mosaic.

• They have a square shape and a shining blue hue as they are made up of several polycrystalline silicon.
 Manufacturing process

• Silicon ingot melting: the process begins with melting raw silicon and then slowly cooling it to form a large
silicon crystal. however, instead of forming a single crystal, multiple small crystals with different orientations
are formed.

• Slicing: the silicon crystal is then sliced into thin wafers, which will serve as the base material for the solar
cells.

• Dopant diffusion: the wafers undergo a doping process to introduce impurities (such as boron or
phosphorus) to create a p-n junction, necessary for generating electricity when exposed to sunlight.

• Surface passivation: the surfaces of the wafers are passivated to reduce recombination of charge carriers
and improve cell efficiency.
 Working principle of solar cells

• These solar panels are made of multiple photovoltaic cells

• Each cell contains silicon crystals which makes it function as a semiconductor device.

• When the photons from the sunlight fall on the pn junction (junction between n-type and p-type materials), it imparts
energy to the electrons so that they can flow as electric current.

• The solar irradiance radiates on the p-n junction of the semiconductor to make up the new hole-electron pair, the
electron-hole transmits from the n field to the p field under the electric field of the p-n junction

• Here, p-type materials are deficient in electrons while n-type materials have an abundance of electrons. Two electrodes
are connected to the PV cells.

• The electrode that is on the top surface contains small wires while the electrode on the bottom is a foil

like, conductor.
 Difference between monocrystalline silicon &
polycrystalline silicon solar cells

 Crystal structure:

• monocrystalline Si solar cells: monocrystalline solar cells are made from a single crystal structure, where the
entire wafer is composed of a continuous, uniform crystal lattice. this results in a highly ordered and pure
material with no grain boundaries.

• polycrystalline Si solar cells: polycrystalline solar cells are made from multiple silicon crystal structures, and
the wafer is composed of many small crystals with different orientations. this creates grain boundaries between
the crystals.

 Appearance:

• monocrystalline Si solar cells: mono-Si cells typically have a uniform black color and a smooth, rounded edge
appearance. they are considered more aesthetically pleasing.

• polycrystalline Si solar cell: poly-Si cells have a bluish hue and a less uniform appearance with visible grain
boundaries on the surface. the surface is often rougher compared to monocrystalline cells.
 Efficiency:

• monocrystalline Si solar cell: monocrystalline solar cells generally have higher efficiency compared to polycrystalline
cells. due to the single-crystal structure, monocrystalline cells have fewer defects and better electron mobility, leading to
improved performance.

• polycrystalline Si solar cell: polycrystalline solar cells have slightly lower efficiency compared to monocrystalline cells.
the grain boundaries and defects in the crystal lattice can lead to some energy loss and reduced electron mobility.

 Cost:

• monocrystalline si solar cell: monocrystalline solar cells are more expensive to produce due to the complex
manufacturing process and the need for high-purity silicon.

• polycrystalline si solar cell: polycrystalline solar cells are generally more cost-effective to manufacture. the production
process is simpler and requires less energy and raw materials.

 Temperature performance:

• monocrystalline si solar cell: monocrystalline cells usually have a slightly lower temperature coefficient, meaning their
efficiency drops less in high-temperature conditions.

• polycrystalline si solar cell: polycrystalline cells perform slightly better in high-temperature conditions compared to
monocrystalline cells due to their lower temperature coefficient.
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