Chinese solar manufacturer JinkoSolar has achieved a record-breaking 26.66% power conversion efficiency for an industrial-scale TOPCon solar cell based on an M10-size wafer, marking a new global benchmark for mass-production-ready technology.
The milestone was independently certified by an undisclosed testing organization in China and represents the highest reported efficiency for an industrial-scale TOPCon cell to date.
Collaborative Research Backing
The breakthrough was achieved in collaboration with researchers from the Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering (NIMTE) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, alongside scientists from Soochow University and China Jiliang University.
The findings were detailed in the paper titled “Dual-side electrical refinement enables efficient industrial tunnel oxide passivating contact silicon solar cells,” published in Nature Energy.
Advanced Cell Architecture
The research team utilized an M10 wafer with an effective area of 313.3 cm², aligning with modern industrial production standards.
On the front side, engineers combined high-sheet-resistance boron emitters with optimized grid designs to enhance surface passivation and minimize carrier transport losses. On the rear side, the team introduced a novel double-layer tunnel oxide/polysilicon structure designed to mitigate metallization-induced degradation.
This structure integrates a highly crystalline inner polysilicon layer and an outer barrier layer that prevents silver diffusion from the electrodes into the silicon substrate, ensuring strong interfacial passivation and long-term device stability.
Performance Highlights
Under standard test conditions, the solar cell delivered:
- Efficiency: 26.66%
- Open-circuit voltage (Voc): 744.6 mV
- Fill factor: 85.57%
By thinning the rear polysilicon layer, researchers further improved bifaciality to 88.3%, significantly enhancing potential energy yield in real-world applications.
“The device has achieved 83.8% of the theoretical efficiency limit, outperforming conventional TOPCon solar cells,” said lead author Jichun Ye.
Roadmap to 28% and Beyond
JinkoSolar already holds the world record of 27.02% efficiency for a laboratory-scale TOPCon solar cell, verified by China’s National Photovoltaic Industry Measurement and Testing Center (NPVM).
The company also recently reported achieving 25.58% efficiency for a TOPCon module, with certification provided by TÜV SÜD.
Looking ahead, JinkoSolar stated in a recent white paper that it aims to surpass the 28% efficiency threshold by 2028, reinforcing its leadership ambitions in next-generation TOPCon technology and high-efficiency photovoltaic manufacturing.
