Advancing PV: from passivation to contacts
– A passivating contact workshop

Aim – The goal of this one-day workshop is to provide a platform to learn more about passivating contacts for crystalline silicon solar cells. Unlike the PV conferences where this topic already receives a fair amount of attention, this platform will enable a more in-depth discussion on the physics of the materials and the related solar cell processing. This does not only include the merits of the various passivating contact materials and structures, but specifically also the corresponding bottlenecks and challenges. Several speakers will give an overview of the recent developments in the field of passivating contacts and discuss the main advantages and drawbacks of the different approaches with the audience.

After attending this workshop, the participants will have a good overview of the status and prospects of passivating contacts for c-Si solar cells and understand the pros and cons of the various proposed contact structures.

Important dates – The passivating contact workshop is scheduled to take place in Eindhoven on Wednesday 31 January 2018. The program will run from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm. Note that one day earlier, on Tuesday 30 January 2018, a one-day course on atomic layer deposition (ALD) for photovoltaics will be organized, which can also be interesting for participants of the passivating contact workshop. Further information about the ALD for PV course can be found here. A welcome reception for the participants of both events is organized on Tuesday 30 January 2018 which starts at 6:00 pm on the first floor of the Flux building (see Travel section below for details on the location). This is also the moment when we organize a brief lab tour for those who are interested.

Targeted audience – The passivating contact workshop is aimed at researchers that work in the field of crystalline silicon solar cells that want to learn more about the opportunities that can be provided by passivating contacts. The workshop should be of interest for both inexperienced and  experienced researchers and technologists in the field of photovoltaics.

Topics – The following topics will be covered in the workshop:

• Introduction to passivating contacts: why are they needed?
• Working principles and physics of passivating contacts
• Passivating contacts based on silicon oxide and polycrystalline silicon
• Passivating contacts based on thin film silicon
• Passivating contacts based on transition metal oxides
• Passivating contacts based on alkali/alkaline metals, oxides, and salts

After each in-depth presentation there will be a moderated discussion between the speaker and the audience. To further promote the interactive character of the workshop, the participants are invited to present a poster covering their recent results on passivating contacts. Contributions on passivating contact material development, integration of these materials into solar cells, and simulation studies are all warmly invited. This poster session will be combined with the lunch and breaks that will be scheduled between the talks to allow for further discussion. After the closure of the workshop drinks will be provided.

Speakers –

• Prof. Dr. Wim Sinke (Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands / University of Amsterdam)
• Dr. Lars Korte (Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin)
• Dr. Frank Feldmann (Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE)
• Dr. Mathieu Boccard (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne)
• Dr. Martin Bivour (Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE)
• Dr. Thomas Allen (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology)

Program – The program consists of 6 presentations and a poster session which is combined with the lunch break. Each presentation will be followed by some extra time for questions and discussion with the speakers. Several breaks are scheduled in between the presentations. Lunch will be provided as well as snacks and drinks during the poster session. You are welcome to pick up your badge at 8:45 am. The technical program will run from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm and is followed by drinks.

Registration

Registration is open until Tuesday 16 January 2018 and is on a first come, first served basis. Registration includes participation in the passivating contact workshop, coffee/tea and lunch.

Note that there is no registration fee for this workshop!

Please fill in the online form below, including your possible interest in presenting a poster or a 1-2 slide presentation during the workshop. Once completed, the successful registration will be confirmed via e-mail within a few days.

Contact

For practical questions regarding registration, travel, accomodations etcetera please contact a.m.m.loonen@tue.nl

For questions regarding the content of the workshop please contact j.melskens@tue.nl

Locations & travel

The workshop will be held in the on the campus of Eindhoven University of Technology. The campus is located in the city centre of Eindhoven. Please see below for directions. Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) is a nearby airport with many intercontinental connections, from which Eindhoven can be reached by train (direct connection available, travel time ±1.5 hours). In addition, it is possible to fly directly to Eindhoven Airport (EIN) from many European cities.

Accommodation

Participants should arrange their own accommodation. The city centre is within walking distance from the university campus (±15 minutes).

Hotels that are closeby:

• Hampshire hotel
• Queen hotel
• Tulip Inn (at the airport)

Travel

Traveling from Schiphol airport to Eindhoven by train:

Amsterdam Schiphol Airport has a train station directly underneath it. When you get out of arrivals, head for Schiphol Plaza (a large indoor area with shops, restaurants and public transport). Tickets are available from the machines at Schiphol Plaza where you will see signs “To the trains”. Trains depart from Schiphol Airport to Eindhoven 4 times per hour: two of these options are direct trains, while the other two require a change of train at Utrecht. Although the change of trains is simple (the trains arrive on opposite platforms), we recommend that you take a direct train to Eindhoven as this saves you from having to change trains with all your luggage. The tip takes roughly 1.5 hours and costs €19.80 for a single journey. More information is available on www.ns.nl.

Public transport from Eindhoven Airport

From Eindhoven Airport, direct bus services 400 and 401 operate to the central Eindhoven bus/train station (journey time about 20 minutes). You will need to buy your ticket from the machine before boarding the bus (approx. €3.50 for a single journey). See also www.oveindhoven.nl.

How to reach Eindhoven University of Technology campus

To reach the location of the workshop, head towards the TU/e campus from the train station. The workshop will take place in lecture room FLX 1.02, which is located on the first floor of the Flux building (no. 19 on the campus map).