Method for manufacturing electrical contacts for a thin-film semiconductor device

Carlson, David E; Dickson, Charles R; D'Aiello, Robert V

Title: Method for manufacturing electrical contacts for a thin-film semiconductor device

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Abstract

A method of fabricating spaced-apart back contacts on a thin film of semiconductor material by forming strips of buffer material on top of the semiconductor material in locations corresponding to the desired dividing lines between back contacts, forming a film of metal substantially covering the semiconductor material and buffer strips, and scribing portions of the metal film overlying the buffer strips with a laser without contacting the underlying semiconductor material to separate the metal layer into a plurality of back contacts. The buffer material serves to protect the underlying semiconductor material from being damaged during the laser scribing. Back contacts and multi-cell photovoltaic modules incorporating such back contacts also are disclosed.

Inventors:

Carlson, David E ^[1]; Dickson, Charles R ^[2]; D'Aiello, Robert V ^[3]

Yardley, PA
Pennington, NJ
East Brunswick, NJ

Issue Date:: 1988-11-08

OSTI Identifier:: 866769

Patent Number(s):: 4783421

Application Number:: 07/068,753

Assignee:: Solarex Corporation (Rockville, MD)

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
H01L31/046 - PV modules composed of a plurality of thin film solar cells deposited on the same substrate
H01L31/0463 - characterised by special patterning methods to connect the PV cells in a module, e.g. laser cutting of the conductive or active layers

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
Y02E10/50 - Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y10 - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC Y10S - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
Y10S438/94 - Laser ablative material removal

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DOE Contract Number:: ZB4030563

Resource Type:: Patent

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: method; manufacturing; electrical; contacts; thin-film; semiconductor; device; fabricating; spaced-apart; film; material; forming; strips; buffer; top; locations; corresponding; desired; dividing; lines; metal; substantially; covering; scribing; portions; overlying; laser; contacting; underlying; separate; layer; plurality; serves; protect; damaged; multi-cell; photovoltaic; modules; incorporating; disclosed; underlying semiconductor; buffer material; metal film; photovoltaic modules; electrical contacts; photovoltaic module; metal layer; electrical contact; semiconductor material; semiconductor device; substantially cover; laser scribing; substantially covering; thin-film semiconductor; film semiconductor; cell photovoltaic; material serves; forming strips; fabricating spaced-apart; locations corresponding; /438/136/257/

Citation Formats


                    Carlson, David E, Dickson, Charles R, and D'Aiello, Robert V. Method for manufacturing electrical contacts for a thin-film semiconductor device.  United States: N. p., 1988. 
        Web.

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                    Carlson, David E, Dickson, Charles R, & D'Aiello, Robert V. Method for manufacturing electrical contacts for a thin-film semiconductor device.  United States.

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                    Carlson, David E, Dickson, Charles R, and D'Aiello, Robert V. Tue .  
        "Method for manufacturing electrical contacts for a thin-film semiconductor device".  United States.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/866769.

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@article{osti_866769,

  title        = {Method for manufacturing electrical contacts for a thin-film semiconductor device},

  author       = {Carlson, David E and Dickson, Charles R and D'Aiello, Robert V},

  abstractNote = {A method of fabricating spaced-apart back contacts on a thin film of semiconductor material by forming strips of buffer material on top of the semiconductor material in locations corresponding to the desired dividing lines between back contacts, forming a film of metal substantially covering the semiconductor material and buffer strips, and scribing portions of the metal film overlying the buffer strips with a laser without contacting the underlying semiconductor material to separate the metal layer into a plurality of back contacts. The buffer material serves to protect the underlying semiconductor material from being damaged during the laser scribing. Back contacts and multi-cell photovoltaic modules incorporating such back contacts also are disclosed.},

  doi          = {},

  journal      = {},
number       = ,

  volume       = ,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {1988},

  month        = {11}

}

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