The goal of this paper is to develop two physically based models to optimize the boron thermal diffusion profiles in novel N-type thin film monocrystalline silicon solar cells.  The first model is used to represent the boron doping induced strain. In this model, the strain is position dependent. The second model is used to include the effects of this strain on the boron diffusion coefficient. These models are both applied to investigate and optimize the effects of doping induced strain on boron diffusion. This original investigation will help manufacturers and researchers optimize doping and diffusion parameters and design more robust and highly efficient solar cells.

A wide range of doping energies, doses, diffusion times, diffusion temperatures, and different thicknesses of the solar cell films have been tested and qualitatively validated with literature.  From this study, we found that the junction depth of the diffused boron dopant is significantly smaller under the effects of the proposed doping induced strain model. The junction depth of the diffused boron with the doping induced strain model is about 71% smaller than that without the doping induced strain.