Turkish Researchers Develop TOPCon Solar Cell with Minimal Silver Use

Published: May 23, 2025 18:48

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Researchers at the Odtu-Gunam institute in Türkiye, in collaboration with Necmettin Erbakan University, have developed a TOPCon solar cell using nickel (Ni) contacts with minimal silver (Ag) content—under 0.5 mg/W compared to the typical 13–20 mg/W—achieving nearly the same efficiency (23.66%) as traditional fully silver-metallized cells (23.71%). By employing Ag-doped Ni pastes and optimizing the contact structure with advanced layers such as silicon monoxide (SiOX), a-SiNx, and nickel oxide (NiO), the team significantly reduced silver usage while preserving performance. This innovation could lower production costs and enhance the sustainability and scalability of solar cell manufacturing.

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