- 26.66% record efficiency achieved for industrial scale TOPCon solar cells on M10 wafers.
- Perovskite and TOPCon tandem devices reach up to 32.76% efficiency with strong stability results.
- New device architectures demonstrate scalable pathways toward commercial high efficiency solar manufacturing.
JinkoSolar has published three peer reviewed research papers within a single month in Nature Energy, one of the leading journals in energy science. The studies highlight significant advances in TOPCon silicon solar cell technology as well as perovskite TOPCon tandem architectures, reinforcing the company’s position at the forefront of next generation photovoltaic innovation.
In the first study, conducted in collaboration with the Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, JinkoSolar reported a certified efficiency of 26.66% for an industrial scale TOPCon solar cell based on M10 silicon wafers. This result establishes a new record for mass production oriented TOPCon devices and significantly reduces the gap to the theoretical efficiency limit of 29.4%.
The research team introduced a dual sided electrical synergy optimisation approach that reduces carrier transport losses and improves overall device performance. On the front side, a high resistance boron emitter and optimised fine line grid design were used to enhance charge collection. On the rear side, a double layer tunnelling oxide and polysilicon structure helped suppress metal induced losses. The device achieved an open circuit voltage of 744.6 mV, a fill factor of 85.57% and a bifaciality of 88.3%, demonstrating strong commercial relevance for high efficiency module production. Link to paper HERE
In a second study with Soochow University, JinkoSolar developed a full size bifacial TOPCon device with a certified efficiency of 26.34% using an alternative contact design that replaces the traditional boron diffused front emitter. The architecture employs patterned n type TOPCon finger contacts on the front and a full area p type contact on the rear, reducing parasitic absorption and recombination losses.
To address challenges associated with p type TOPCon contacts, the researchers introduced a polysilicon oxide polysilicon structure that improves contact reliability and reduces corrosion risk. An ultra-thin oxide layer also prevents silver induced damage, improving high temperature stability. The study indicates that future laser patterning and rear side localisation strategies could lift mass production efficiencies toward 27%.
Using this device as a bottom cell, the team then developed a monolithic perovskite TOPCon tandem solar cell achieving a certified efficiency of 32.73% with an open circuit voltage of 1.961 V. The device retained 80% of its initial efficiency after 2,000 hours of testing, highlighting its potential for industrial application and long term operational stability. Link to paper HERE
In the third study, carried out in partnership with the National University of Singapore, JinkoSolar focused on improving perovskite material stability and crystallisation control. The researchers introduced a dual mode coupled ligand strategy to regulate formamidinium ion behaviour during film formation, enabling improved structural uniformity and performance.
The resulting perovskite TOPCon tandem device achieved a certified efficiency of 32.76% and retained 91% of its initial efficiency after 1,700 hours of operation. This result places the technology close to current tandem efficiency records and demonstrates strong progress toward scalable manufacturing using industry dominant TOPCon silicon bottom cells. Link to paper HERE
Together, these three studies demonstrate a clear technological pathway for integrating perovskite materials with established TOPCon manufacturing platforms. The results highlight improvements in efficiency, operational stability and industrial scalability, supporting the broader transition toward next generation high performance solar energy systems.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
