EPJ PV Highlight - Approaches for reducing metallization-induced losses in industrial TOPCon solar cells

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Published on 24 November 2025

Approaches for reducing metallization-induced losses in industrial TOPCon solar cells

The tunnel oxide passivating contact (TOPCon) structure has been widely accepted in industrial manufacturing, making it the dominating solar cell structure in 2025. One key to further increase conversion efficiency of such solar cells is minimizing carrier recombination at metal-semiconductor interfaces.

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EPJ Plus Focus Point: Best doctoral theses from the Spanish Royal Physics Society (RSEF) in 2023-24

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Published on 24 November 2025

Guest Editors: Luis Viña, María Luisa Sarsa, Rosa María Benito Zafrilla, Diego Porras Torre, Gastón García

In this special issue of EPJ Plus three articles are included, corresponding to the authors of the PhD thesis awarded by a biannual prize established by the The Spanish Royal Physics Society (“Real Sociedad Española de Física”, RSEF). These awards, announced in the biennial meeting in San Sebastian (Spain) in July 2025, highlight the work of researchers at the beginning of their careers and aim at encouraging others to apply for a thesis award, join the RSEF, and help physics contribute to creating a more educated, tolerant, diverse and resilient society.

All articles are available here and are freely accessible until 31 December 2025. For further information, read the Editorial.

EPJ Plus Highlight - Investigating charge transport in hybrid nanowires

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Published on 21 November 2025

Analysis reveals how electron-hole pairs are reflected and transmitted across the interfaces of a hybrid nanowire – featuring alternating sections of a normal conductor and a high-temperature superconductor.

High-temperature superconductors are quickly opening up new possibilities for nanoscale circuits, which are likely to become key building blocks of future quantum technologies. As this research advances, a deep understanding of how electrical currents flow through superconductors dominated by quantum effects is becoming increasingly important.

Through theoretical analysis detailed in EPJ Plus, Francisco Estrella and Linda Reichl at the University of Texas at Austin provide one of the most detailed descriptions to date of how electron-hole pairs behave within hybrid nanowires – made from alternating sections of normally conducting material and a high-temperature superconductor. Their results clarify how hybrid nanowires could become a reliable testbed for fundamental quantum phenomena and could help pave the way for their use in real-world quantum technologies.

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