Dry texturing of solar cells
Abstract
A textured backside of a semiconductor device for increasing light scattering and absorption in a semiconductor substrate is accomplished by applying infrared radiation to the front side of a semiconductor substrate that has a metal layer deposited on its backside in a time-energy profile that first produces pits in the backside surface and then produces a thin, highly reflective, low resistivity, epitaxial alloy layer over the entire area of the interface between the semiconductor substrate and a metal contact layer. The time-energy profile includes ramping up to a first energy level and holding for a period of time to create the desired pit size and density and then rapidly increasing the energy to a second level in which the entire interface area is melted and alloyed quickly. After holding the second energy level for a sufficient time to develop the thin alloy layer over the entire interface area, the energy is ramped down to allow epitaxial crystal growth in the alloy layer. The result is a textured backside an optically reflective, low resistivity alloy interface between the semiconductor substrate and the metal electrical contact layer.
- Inventors:
-
- Denver, CO
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Midwest Research Institute, Kansas City, MO (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 869572
- Patent Number(s):
- 5358574
- Assignee:
- Midwest Research Institute (Kansas City, MO)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01L - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-83CH10093
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- dry; texturing; solar; cells; textured; backside; semiconductor; device; increasing; light; scattering; absorption; substrate; accomplished; applying; infrared; radiation; front; metal; layer; deposited; time-energy; profile; produces; pits; surface; highly; reflective; resistivity; epitaxial; alloy; entire; interface; contact; ramping; energy; level; holding; period; time; create; desired; pit; size; density; rapidly; melted; alloyed; quickly; sufficient; ramped; allow; crystal; growth; result; optically; electrical; time-energy profile; contact layer; metal contact; light scattering; highly reflective; energy level; semiconductor substrate; metal layer; electrical contact; solar cell; solar cells; infrared radiation; semiconductor device; crystal growth; layer deposited; sufficient time; alloy layer; resistivity alloy; backside surface; produces pits; pit size; metal electrical; desired pit; metal electric; /438/136/
Citation Formats
Sopori, Bhushan L. Dry texturing of solar cells. United States: N. p., 1994.
Web.
Sopori, Bhushan L. Dry texturing of solar cells. United States.
Sopori, Bhushan L. Sat .
"Dry texturing of solar cells". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/869572.
@article{osti_869572,
title = {Dry texturing of solar cells},
author = {Sopori, Bhushan L},
abstractNote = {A textured backside of a semiconductor device for increasing light scattering and absorption in a semiconductor substrate is accomplished by applying infrared radiation to the front side of a semiconductor substrate that has a metal layer deposited on its backside in a time-energy profile that first produces pits in the backside surface and then produces a thin, highly reflective, low resistivity, epitaxial alloy layer over the entire area of the interface between the semiconductor substrate and a metal contact layer. The time-energy profile includes ramping up to a first energy level and holding for a period of time to create the desired pit size and density and then rapidly increasing the energy to a second level in which the entire interface area is melted and alloyed quickly. After holding the second energy level for a sufficient time to develop the thin alloy layer over the entire interface area, the energy is ramped down to allow epitaxial crystal growth in the alloy layer. The result is a textured backside an optically reflective, low resistivity alloy interface between the semiconductor substrate and the metal electrical contact layer.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1994},
month = {Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1994}
}