# US 12,191,406 B2 · Solar cell, method for manufacturing solar cell, and solar cell module

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 12,191,406 B2
- Document ID: US12191406B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/988,063
- Filed: 2022-11-16
- Published: 2023-03-09
- Granted: 2025-01-07
- Earliest claimed: 2009-09-18
- Assignees: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Hiroshi Hashigami; Takenori Watabe; Hiroyuki Otsuka
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12191406B2

## CPC

- H10F 77/311: {for photovoltaic cells}
- H10F 10/14: Photovoltaic cells having only PN homojunction potential barriers
- H10F 71/129: {Passivating}
- H10F 77/211: {for photovoltaic cells}
- Y02E 10/547: Monocrystalline silicon PV cells
- Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
- H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

A solar cell is provided with: a semiconductor substrate having a light-receiving surface and a non-light-receiving surface; a PN junction section formed on the semiconductor substrate; a passivation layer formed on the light-receiving surface and/or the non-light-receiving surface; and power extraction electrodes formed on the light-receiving surface and the non-light-receiving surface. The solar cell is characterized in that the passivation layer includes an aluminum oxide film having a thickness of 40 nm or less. As a result of forming a aluminum oxide film having a predetermined thickness on the surface of the substrate, it is possible to achieve excellent passivation performance and excellent electrical contact between silicon and the electrode by merely firing the conductive paste, which is conventional technology. Furthermore, an annealing step, which has been necessary to achieve the passivation effects of the aluminum oxide film in the past, can be eliminated, thus dramatically reducing costs.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A solar cell comprising:
a semiconductor substrate of a p-type which has a pn junction and has an n-type layer on a light receiving surface of the semiconductor substrate on one side thereof and a non-light receiving surface on another side thereof;
a passivation layer consisting essentially of an amorphous aluminum oxide and having a thickness of 1 to 20 nm in contact with the p-type substrate in the non-light receiving surface of the semiconductor substrate;
a first dielectric film of a material selected from the group consisting of silicon nitride, silicon oxide, silicon carbide and titanium oxide on the passivation layer;
a second dielectric film of a material selected from the group consisting of silicon nitride, silicon oxide, silicon carbide and titanium oxide on the light receiving surface of the semiconductor substrate;
a first power extraction electrode on said non-light receiving surface which is a sintered product of a first conductive metal paste containing silver powder, glass frit and organic binder wherein the first power extraction electrode is in electrical contact with the p-type surface of the semiconductor substrate by firing-through the first dielectric film and the passivation layer; and
a second power extraction electrode on said light receiving surface which is a sintered product of a second conductive metal paste containing silver powder, glass frit and organic binder wherein the second power extraction electrode is in electrical contact with the n-type layer of the semiconductor substrate by firing-through the second dielectric film,
wherein the first and second electrodes contain at least one element selected from the group consisting of B, Na, K, Ca, Si, V, Zn, Zr, Cd, Sn, Ba, Ta, Tl, Pb and Bi.

### Claim 2

A solar cell comprising:
a semiconductor substrate of an n-type which has a pn junction and has a p-type layer on a light receiving surface of the semiconductor substrate on one side thereof and a non-light receiving surface on another side thereof;
a passivation layer consisting essentially of an amorphous aluminum oxide and having a thickness of 1 to 20 nm in contact with the p-type layer in the light receiving surface of the semiconductor substrate;
a first dielectric film of a material selected from the group consisting of silicon nitride, silicon oxide, silicon carbide and titanium oxide on the passivation layer;
a second dielectric film of a material selected from the group consisting of silicon nitride, silicon oxide, silicon carbide and titanium oxide on the non-light receiving surface of the semiconductor substrate;
a first power extraction electrode on said light receiving surface which is a sintered product of a first conductive metal paste containing silver powder, glass frit and an organic binder wherein the first power extraction electrode is in electrical contact with the p-type layer in the surface of said semiconductor substrate by firing-through the first dielectric film and the passivation layer; and
a second power extraction electrode on said non-light receiving surface which is a sintered product of a second conductive metal paste containing silver powder, glass frit and an organic binder wherein the second power extraction electrode is in electrical contact with the n-type surface of said semiconductor substrate by firing-through the second dielectric film.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The solar cell of claim 2, wherein the first and second electrodes contain at least one element selected from the group consisting of B, Na, K, Ca, Si, V, Zn, Zr, Cd, Sn, Ba, Ta, Tl, Pb and Bi.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The solar cell of claim 1, wherein at least a part of the surface of the substrate on the non-light receiving surface is made of a back surface field layer.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The solar cell of claim 2, wherein at least a part of the surface of the substrate on the non-light receiving surface is made of a back surface field layer.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The solar cell of claim 1 wherein the first and second metal pastes are the firing-through capability silver paste commonly used for silicon oxide film, which comprises an oxide of one or more elements selected from the group consisting of B, Na, Al, K, Ca, Si, V, Zn, Zr, Cd, Sn, Ba, Ta, Tl, Pb, and Bi.

### Claim 7 (depends on 2)

The solar cell of claim 2 wherein the first and second metal pastes are the firing-through capability silver paste commonly used for silicon oxide film, which comprises an oxide of one or more elements selected from the group consisting of B, Na, Al, K, Ca, Si, V, Zn, Zr, Cd, Sn, Ba, Ta, Tl, Pb, and Bi.