Photovoltaic solar cell

Title: Photovoltaic solar cell

A photovoltaic solar cell for generating electricity from sunlight is disclosed. The photovoltaic solar cell comprises a plurality of spaced-apart point contact junctions formed in a semiconductor body to receive the sunlight and generate the electricity therefrom, the plurality of spaced-apart point contact junctions having a first plurality of regions having a first doping type and a second plurality of regions having a second doping type. In addition, the photovoltaic solar cell comprises a first electrical contact electrically connected to each of the first plurality of regions and a second electrical contact electrically connected to each of the second plurality of regions, as well as a passivation layer covering major surfaces and sidewalls of the photovoltaic solar cell.

Inventors:: Nielson, Gregory N; Cruz-Campa, Jose Luis; Okandan, Murat; Resnick, Paul J

Issue Date:: 2014-05-20

OSTI Identifier:: 1132260

Assignee:: Sandia Corporation (Albuquerque, NM) SNL

Patent Number(s):: 8,728,857

Application Number:: 14/089,011

Contract Number:: AC04-94AL85000

Resource Relation:: Patent File Date: 2013 Nov 25

Research Org:: Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

Sponsoring Org:: USDOE

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 14 SOLAR ENERGY

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