Back to results
US 12,563,846 B2Granted
Solar cells having hybrid architectures including differentiated p-type and n-type regions with offset contacts
AssigneeMaxeon Solar Pte. Ltd.
InventorsDavid D. Smith, Jeffrey El Cotter, David Aaron Randolph Barkhouse, Taeseok Kim
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A solar cell, and methods of fabricating said solar cell, are disclosed. The solar cell can include a first emitter region over a substrate, the first emitter region having a perimeter around a portion of the substrate. A first conductive contact is electrically coupled to the first emitter region at a location outside of the perimeter of the first emitter region.
Claims20
A solar cell, comprising:
- a first insulator layer above a substrate, the first insulator layer having a first opening, a second opening, and a third opening;
- a first semiconductor layer above the substrate, wherein a first portion of the first semiconductor layer is in the first, second and third openings of the first insulator layer, and a second portion of the first semiconductor layer is over a portion of the first insulator layer;
- a second semiconductor layer above the substrate, the second semiconductor layer between the first insulator layer and the substrate, the second semiconductor layer having a conductivity type opposite a conductivity type of the first semiconductor layer;
- a second insulator layer over the first semiconductor layer, the second insulator layer having a first opening over the second portion of the first semiconductor layer between the first and second openings of the first dielectric layer, and the second insulator layer having a second opening over the second portion of the first semiconductor layer between the second and third openings of the first dielectric layer;
- and
- a conductive contact in the first and second openings of the second insulator layer, in the second opening of the first insulator layer, but not in the first and third openings of the first insulator layer, the conductive contact electrically coupled to the second portion of the first semiconductor layer at first and second locations beneath the first and second openings of the second insulator layer, respectively.
3 more elements
A method of fabricating a solar cell, the method comprising:
- forming a first insulator layer above a substrate, the first insulator layer having a first opening, a second opening, and a third opening;
- forming a first semiconductor layer above the substrate, wherein a first portion of the first semiconductor layer is in the first, second and third openings of the first insulator layer, and a second portion of the first semiconductor layer is over a portion of the first insulator layer;
- forming a second semiconductor layer above the substrate, the second semiconductor layer between the first insulator layer and the substrate, the second semiconductor layer having a conductivity type opposite a conductivity type of the first semiconductor layer;
- forming a second insulator layer over the first semiconductor layer, the second insulator layer having a first opening over the second portion of the first semiconductor layer between the first and second openings of the first dielectric layer, and the second insulator layer having a second opening over the second portion of the first semiconductor layer between the second and third openings of the first dielectric layer;
- and
- forming a conductive contact in the first and second openings of the second insulator layer, in the second opening of the first insulator layer, but not in the first and third openings of the first insulator layer, the conductive contact electrically coupled to the second portion of the first semiconductor layer at first and second locations beneath the first and second openings of the second insulator layer, respectively.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.