Efficiency of silicon solar cells containing chromium

Patent · Tue Jan 19 00:00:00 EST 1982

OSTI ID:5518194

Frosch, R A; Salama, A M

Efficiency of silicon solar cells containing about 1015 atoms/cm3 of chromium is improved about 26% by thermal annealing of the silicon wafer at a temperature of 200* C. To form chromium precipitates having a diameter of less than 1 angstrom. Further improvement in efficiency is achieved by scribing laser lines onto the back surface of the wafer at a spacing of at least 0.5 mm and at a depth of less than 13 micrometers to preferentially precipitate chromium near the back surface and away from the junction region of the device. This provides an economical way to improve the deleterious effects of chromium, one of the impurities present in metallurgical grade silicon material.

• Assignee: EDB-82-093855
• Patent Number(s): US 4311870
• OSTI ID: 5518194
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: Filed date 11 Sep 1980; Other Information: PAT-APPL-185867
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
SILICON SOLAR CELLS
ANNEALING
DESIGN
EFFICIENCY
CHROMIUM
ETCHING
LASER RADIATION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
HEAT TREATMENTS
METALS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
RADIATIONS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SURFACE FINISHING
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
140501* - Solar Energy Conversion- Photovoltaic Conversion