Method of making a high intensity solar cell

Patent · Tue May 14 04:00:00 EDT 1985

OSTI ID:6474055

Sater, B L

A method of manufacturing a high intensity edge illuminated solar cell is provided which comprises the following steps. A semiconductor substrate is formed having first, second and third essentially parallel layers having impurity doped semiconductor material and arranged in that order with the first and third layers terminating in opposing essentially parallel first and second major surfaces. The second layer is of a first type conductivity and the first layer is an opposite second type conductivity so as to define a PN junction between the first and second layers and which junction is essentially parallel to the first and second major surfaces. The third layer is of the first type conductivity but is of greater impurity concentration than that of the second layer for providing a built-in electrostatic drift field to enhance minority carrier movement toward the PN junction. The junction of the second and third layers is essentially parallel to the PN junction. First and second ohmic contact layers are applied on the first and second major surfaces respectively so as to provide electrical contacts thereon. The substrate is separated along separating planes into segments. These separating planes provide major working surfaces extending between the first and second major surfaces. The major working surfaces each contain a plurality of edge surfaces of the first, second and third impurity doped semiconductor material. The major working surfaces of each segment are prepared by passivating the edge surfaces of the first, second and third impurity doped material. At least one of the major working surfaces serves to receive incident radiation and thereby it serves as an operating surface. An accumulation layer is incorporated at the operating surface containing the first type conductivity semiconductor material to provide thereat a drift field to minimize minority carrier recombination at the operating surface.

• Assignee: EDB-86-008356
• Patent Number(s): US 4516314
• OSTI ID: 6474055
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
CRYSTAL DOPING
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTRIC CONTACTS
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTROSTATICS
EQUIPMENT
FABRICATION
IMPURITIES
IRRADIATION
JUNCTIONS
LAYERS
MATERIALS
P-N JUNCTIONS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
SEMICONDUCTOR JUNCTIONS
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SUBSTRATES
SURFACE TREATMENTS