Title: Method of forming contacts for a back-contact solar cell

Abstract

Methods of forming contacts for solar cells are described. In one embodiment, a method includes forming a silicon layer above a substrate, forming and patterning a solid-state p-type dopant source on the silicon layer, forming an n-type dopant source layer over exposed regions of the silicon layer and over a plurality of regions of the solid-state p-type dopant source, and heating the substrate to provide a plurality of n-type doped silicon regions among a plurality of p-type doped silicon regions.

Inventors:

Manning, Jane

Issue Date:

Tue Oct 20 00:00:00 EDT 2015

Research Org.:

SunPower Corporation, San Jose, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE

OSTI Identifier:

1223691

Patent Number(s):

9166079

Application Number:

14/302,254

Assignee:

SunPower Corporation (San Jose, CA)

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

H01L21/225 - using diffusion into or out of a solid from or into a solid phase, e.g. a doped oxide layer {
H01L21/2255 - {the applied layer comprising oxides only, e.g. P2O5, PSG, H3BO3, doped oxides}
H01L21/2256 - {through the applied layer}
H01L31/022441 - {Electrode arrangements specially adapted for back-contact solar cells}
H01L31/03529 - {Shape of the potential jump barrier or surface barrier}
H01L31/03682 - {including only elements of Group IV of the Periodic System}
H01L31/068 - the potential barriers being only of the PN homojunction type, e.g. bulk silicon PN homojunction solar cells or thin film polycrystalline silicon PN homojunction solar cells
H01L31/0682 - {back-junction, i.e. rearside emitter, solar cells, e.g. interdigitated base-emitter regions back-junction cells}
H01L31/1864 - {Annealing}

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

Y02E10/52 - PV systems with concentrators
Y02E10/546 - Polycrystalline silicon PV cells
Y02E10/547 - Monocrystalline silicon PV cells

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DOE Contract Number:  

FC36-07GO17043

Resource Type:

Patent

Resource Relation:

Patent File Date: 2014 Jun 11

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

14 SOLAR ENERGY