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The study proposes a hydrophobic modification scheme using diluted HF solution during the slow lifting process to optimize the interface characteristics of crystalline silicon heterojunction (SHJ) solar cells. This method creates a stable hydrogen-terminated surface with minimal oxidation, significantly improving passivation quality compared to conventional deionized water and hot air drying methods.

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Abstract

Abstract The passivation of crystalline silicon surface is extremely crucial and irreplaceable in the preparation of crystalline silicon heterojunction (SHJ) solar cells, and it is highly sensitive to the surface structural configuration and characteristics of the silicon substrate. In this work, we innovatively proposed a hydrophobic modification scheme for the silicon substrate surface by diluted HF solution incorporated into the slow lifting process, in order to optimize the interface characteristics and enhance the photovoltaic performance of the solar cells. This study conducts an in-depth exploration of the surface reaction mechanism of silicon wafers during HF slow lifting process and its impact on solar cell performance. Compared to the conventional slow lifting of deionized water conjugated with the drying of hot air, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results reveal that a stable hydrogen-terminated surface with minimal oxidation is formed by the strategic surface modification during HF slow lifting process, characterized by the dominant Si 0 peaks and reduced Si-O-Si signals. The reduced contact resistivity ( ρ c ) and series resistance ( R s ) of the solar cells are also shown to be reduced, and the fill factor (FF) and power conversion efficiency (PCE) of SHJ cells are enhanced by 2.2% and 1.9%, respectively. This study presents an economical and practical method to modify the surface bonding configuration of crystalline silicon. It is elucidated how precisely engineered c-Si surface chemistry effectively suppresses substrate oxidation and markedly elevates cell performance, while simultaneously streamlining cleaning and texturing protocols to accelerate manufacturing rhythm.

Key findings

  • Strategic HF slow lifting forms a dominant Si-H terminated surface while reducing Si-O-Si signals.
  • The modified surface exhibits hydrophobic characteristics that enhance interface stability.
  • This approach leads to enhanced photovoltaic performance by minimizing surface oxidation.

Keywords

Crystalline siliconSiliconPassivationSurface modificationOptoelectronicsPolymer solar cell

Identifiers

DOI
10.1088/1674-1056/ae48b9
Journal
Chinese Physics B
Year
2026