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Processes for producing low cost, high efficiency silicon solar cells

Patent ·
OSTI ID:871627
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5]
  1. Marietta, GA
  2. Altanta, GA
  3. Lawrenceville, GA
  4. Atlanta, GA
  5. Duluth, GA
+ Show Author Affiliations

Processes which utilize rapid thermal processing (RTP) are provided for inexpensively producing high efficiency silicon solar cells. The RTP processes preserve minority carrier bulk lifetime .tau. and permit selective adjustment of the depth of the diffused regions, including emitter and back surface field (bsf), within the silicon substrate. In a first RTP process, an RTP step is utilized to simultaneously diffuse phosphorus and aluminum into the front and back surfaces, respectively, of a silicon substrate. Moreover, an in situ controlled cooling procedure preserves the carrier bulk lifetime .tau. and permits selective adjustment of the depth of the diffused regions. In a second RTP process, both simultaneous diffusion of the phosphorus and aluminum as well as annealing of the front and back contacts are accomplished during the RTP step. In a third RTP process, the RTP step accomplishes simultaneous diffusion of the phosphorus and aluminum, annealing of the contacts, and annealing of a double-layer antireflection/passivation coating SiN/SiO.sub.x. In a fourth RTP process, the process of applying front and back contacts is broken up into two separate respective steps, which enhances the efficiency of the cells, at a slight time expense. In a fifth RTP process, a second RTP step is utilized to fire and adhere the screen printed or evaporated contacts to the structure.

Research Organization:
SANDIA CORP
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-94AL85000
Assignee:
Georgia Tech Research Corporation (Atlanta, GA)
Patent Number(s):
US 5766964
Application Number:
08/579074
OSTI ID:
871627
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (4)

Rapid optical thermal processing of silicon solar cells conference January 1993
Multicrystalline silicon solar cells processed by rapid thermal processing conference January 1993
A novel and effective PECVD SiO/sub 2//SiN antireflection coating for Si solar cells journal June 1993
Simultaneous Junction Formation Using a Directed Energy Light Source journal October 1986

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