Process for fabricating inexpensive high performance solar cells using doped oxide junction and in situ anti-reflection coatings

Patent · Tue Jul 18 04:00:00 EDT 1978

OSTI ID:6523104

Shah, P L; Fuller, C R

Silicon solar cells may be made from either ''P'' type substrates with ''N'' type dopants to form the geometries or with ''N'' type substrates and ''P'' type dopants forming the junction. This invention relates to the dopant species employed, the improved method of application and junction formation, formation of in situ anti-reflective coatings, and improved metallization processing for silicon solar cells. The invention does not affect preparation of the silicon substrate prior to diffusion steps, and is applicable both to planar solar cells and to vertical-multijunction cells. This invention discloses an alternate process of junction formation using arsenic as dopant. The process is uniquely different in the fact that it simplifies the number of process steps by using the doped oxide for junction formation, metallization mask and as an anti-reflection surface layer.

• Assignee: Texas Instruments Inc.
• Patent Number(s): US 4101351
• OSTI ID: 6523104
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
ANTIREFLECTION COATINGS
ARSENIC
COATINGS
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
DOPED MATERIALS
ELECTRIC CONTACTS
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
FABRICATION
LAYERS
PERFORMANCE
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
SEMIMETALS
SILICON SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR CELLS
SUBSTRATES