Metallization structures for solar cells

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 substrate having a first semiconductor region and a second semiconductor region disposed in or above the back side of the solar cell;
• a first conductive busbar disposed above the first semiconductor region and extending in a first direction and including a plurality of first conductive fingers extending in a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction;
• a second conductive busbar including a first portion and a second portion disposed above the second semiconductor region and extending in the first direction and including a plurality of second conductive fingers extending in the second direction, wherein a first separation region separates the first and second portions of the second conductive busbar;
• a third conductive busbar disposed above the first semiconductor region and extending in the first direction and including a plurality of third conductive fingers extending in the second direction, wherein the plurality of first and the plurality of second conductive fingers form an alternating pattern in the first direction, and the plurality of second and the plurality of third conductive fingers form another alternating pattern in the first direction;
• a first conductive bridge electrically connecting the first conductive busbar to the third conductive busbar and extending in the second direction, wherein the first conductive bridge extends beyond sides of the first conductive busbar and the third conductive busbar, the first conductive bridge including one of the plurality of first conductive fingers and one of the plurality of third conductive fingers;
• and
• a second conductive bridge aligned to the first conductive bridge in the first direction and offset from the first conductive bridge in the second direction.

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 substrate having a first semiconductor region and a second semiconductor region disposed in or above the back side of the solar cell;
• a first conductive busbar disposed above the first semiconductor region and extending in a first direction and including a plurality of first conductive fingers extending in a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction;
• a second conductive busbar including a first portion and a second portion disposed above the second semiconductor region and extending in the first direction and including a plurality of second conductive fingers extending in the second direction, wherein a groove is along a direction parallel to the first direction;
• a third conductive busbar disposed above the first semiconductor region and extending in the first direction and including a plurality of third conductive fingers extending in the second direction, wherein the plurality of first and the plurality of second conductive fingers form an alternating pattern in the first direction, and the plurality of second and the plurality of third conductive fingers form another alternating pattern in the first direction;
• and
• a first conductive bridge electrically connecting the first conductive busbar to the third conductive busbar and extending in the second direction, wherein the first conductive bridge extends beyond sides of the first conductive busbar and the third conductive busbar, the first conductive bridge including one of the plurality of first conductive fingers and one of the plurality of third conductive fingers.