A record efficiency of 15.8% (independently confirmed at Fraunhofer ISE calibration laboratory) is reported on large area (120 cm(2)) n-type mc-Si rear junction Si solar cell. Minor modifications to the industrial process for p-type, such as optimization of Al-alloyed screen-printed emitter and phosphorus front surface field, led to an improvement in cell properties. Large improvement in short-circuit current of the cell was possible by decreasing the cell thickness to 130 mu m. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.