Nickel Silicide from Plated Nickel for High Adhesion of Fully Plated Silicon Solar Cell Metallization

The present work deals with a fully plated metallization system for silicon solar cells for production cost reduction with potentially increased efficiency. Thereby the metals Ni and Cu are mainly utilized. Ni is thermally formed to nickel silicide after Ni deposition for reduced contact resistance and increased metal adhesion. Its impact on solar cell performance is analysed by electrical and material characterization and silicide formation is optimized.