Hybrid back-contact (BC) silicon solar cells 1-3 combine the strengths of TOPCon-derived 4-7 n-type contacts, SHJ-derived 8-12 p-type contacts, and interdigitated BC (IBC)13,14 device structures. Though high performance in the form of 27.8% efficiency has been demonstrated,1 the understanding of the fundamental advantages of the hybrid BC architecture over conventional BC cells (e.g. eliminating front-surface metallization shading 3) remains unexplored. Here we take advantage of the design flexibility of the hybrid BC architecture to use a multifunctional front layer for both light trapping and passivation. Meanwhile, we improved carrier collection and process compatibility of the rear carrier-selective contacts. We also show the optimal c-Si absorber thickness is increased to 160-μm, leading to a certified efficiency of 27.62% for industrially compatible c-Si solar cells.…