SiOnyx Inc. said that Black Silicon, its patented ultrafast laser texturing technology, has achieved a 0.3% (absolute) efficiency boost over industry-standard baseline solar cells. The SiOnyx 156-mm multicrystalline silicon cells, made in collaboration with German research institute ISC Konstanz, achieved average absolute efficiencies of more than 17%. Vital for reducing the cost of silicon-based solar cells, the Black Silicon technology boosts efficiency in thinner wafers. Average efficiencies of 16.9% were achieved for 150-μm-thick multicrystalline cells that are 20% thinner than wafers in production today and represent a cost reduction of 10-15%. The SiOnyx process also results in a significant improvement in process uniformity, the company said. Standard deviations for cell efficiency and current are reduced by a factor of two using SiOnyx’s Black Silicon, resulting in further cost reductions. “These results are further validation of the Black Silicon process and its ability to improve the economics of mainstream solar energy — and the technology is ready now,” commented Stephen Saylor, president and CEO of SiOnyx. “SiOnyx’s single-sided texture achieves significantly lower surface reflectance than industry-standard isotexture to improve cell performance. We boost infrared performance, thus making SiOnyx Black Silicon a great complement to existing selective emitter technologies.” SiOnyx Black Silicon is a drop-in solution for the majority of solar cell lines using industry-standard isotexture and is critical in supporting road map architectures requiring a planar back surface for dielectric passivation, the company said. The technology is independent of grain orientation, making it suitable for all wafer types, including multicrystalline. For more information, visit: www.sionyx.com