Title: Back contact to film silicon on metal for photovoltaic cells

Abstract

A crystal oriented metal back contact for solar cells is disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a photovoltaic device and methods for making the photovoltaic device are disclosed. The photovoltaic device includes a metal substrate with a crystalline orientation and a heteroepitaxial crystal silicon layer having the same crystal orientation of the metal substrate. A heteroepitaxial buffer layer having the crystal orientation of the metal substrate is positioned between the substrate and the crystal silicon layer to reduce diffusion of metal from the metal foil into the crystal silicon layer and provide chemical compatibility with the heteroepitaxial crystal silicon layer. Additionally, the buffer layer includes one or more electrically conductive pathways to electrically couple the crystal silicon layer and the metal substrate.

Inventors:

Branz, Howard M.; Teplin, Charles; Stradins, Pauls

Issue Date:

Tue Jun 18 00:00:00 EDT 2013

Research Org.:

National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE

OSTI Identifier:

1084083

Patent Number(s):

8466447

Application Number:

12/537,152

Assignee:

Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC (Golden, CO)

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

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H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01L - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

H01L31/022425 - {for solar cells}
H01L31/022441 - {Electrode arrangements specially adapted for back-contact solar cells}
H01L31/036 - characterised by their crystalline structure or particular orientation of the crystalline planes
H01L31/0368 - including polycrystalline semiconductors
H01L31/1804 - {comprising only elements of Group IV of the Periodic System}
H01L31/182 - {Special manufacturing methods for polycrystalline Si, e.g. Si ribbon, poly Si ingots, thin films of polycrystalline Si}

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

Y02E10/546 - Polycrystalline silicon PV cells
Y02E10/547 - Monocrystalline silicon PV cells

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02P - CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

Y02P70/50 - Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

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DOE Contract Number:  

AC36-08GO28308

Resource Type:

Patent

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

14 SOLAR ENERGY