Solar cells with improved lifetime, passivation and/or efficiency
AssigneeSunPower Corporation
InventorsDavid D. Smith, Tim Dennis, Russelle De Jesus Tabajonda
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of fabricating a solar cell can include forming a dielectric region on a silicon substrate. The method can also include forming an emitter region over the dielectric region and forming a dopant region on a surface of the silicon substrate. In an embodiment, the method can include heating the silicon substrate at a temperature above 900 degrees Celsius to getter impurities to the emitter region and drive dopants from the dopant region to a portion of the silicon substrate.
Claims20
A solar cell, the solar cell having a front side which faces the sun during normal operation and a back side opposite the front side, the solar cell comprising:
- a silicon substrate, wherein a portion of the silicon substrate has a dopant concentration of approximately less than or equal to 2×1018 cm−3 and wherein the portion of the silicon substrate is formed at the back side of the solar cell;
- a first dielectric region formed over the silicon substrate, wherein the first dielectric region is formed over the front side of solar;
- a first emitter region having metal impurities formed over the first dielectric region;
- and
- a first metal contact formed over the first emitter region.
A solar cell, the solar cell having a front side which faces the sun during normal operation and a back side opposite the front side, the solar cell comprising:
- a silicon substrate, wherein a portion of the silicon substrate has a dopant concentration of approximately less than or equal to 2×1018 cm−3 and wherein the portion of the silicon substrate is formed at the front side of the solar cell;
- a dielectric region formed over the silicon substrate, wherein the dielectric region is formed over the back side of solar;
- a first emitter region having metal impurities formed over the dielectric region;
- and
- a first metal contact formed over the first emitter region.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.