Methods of thermal processing a solar cell
OwnerPeter BORDEN, Sunhom (Steve) Paakinventors
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Abstract
Embodiments of the invention contemplate the formation of high efficiency solar cells and novel methods for forming the same. Embodiment of the invention can be used to form a solar cell that has doped regions that act as a back surface field. The methods and apparatus disclosed herein may include the use of a doping source, a rapid annealer and a slow annealer. One embodiment of the methods used to form an improved emitter structure include disposing an amount of a dopant atom in a substrate and performing two or more thermal processing steps to cause the dopant to diffuse deeper into the substrate to achieve a desirable multi-facet doping profile.
Claims15
A method of forming a solar cell device, comprising:
- disposing a first amount of a first dopant within a region of a substrate;
- heating the substrate to a first temperature for a first period of time so that the first dopant diffuses a first depth within the substrate;
- and
- heating the substrate to a second temperature for a second period of time so that the first dopant diffuses a second depth within the substrate.
A method of forming a solar cell device, comprising:
- disposing a first amount of a first dopant within a region of a substrate;
- heating the substrate to a first temperature for a first period of time so that the first dopant diffuses a first depth within the substrate;
- and
- heating the substrate to a second temperature for a second period of time so that the first dopant diffuses a second depth within the substrate, wherein the second temperature is greater than the first temperature.
A processing system configured to form a portion of a solar cell device, comprising:
- a cluster tool comprising:
- a transfer chamber having a first transfer robot disposed therein;
- two or more implant chambers coupled to the transfer chamber, wherein the two or more implant chambers each comprise:
- a plasma source coupled to a processing region and adapted to maintain a generated plasma therein;
- a gas distribution plate configured to distribute a gas to the processing region;
- a substrate support having a biasing electrode and a substrate supporting surface, wherein the substrate supporting surface is configured to support a substrate in the processing region;
- and
- an RF bias power generator coupled to the biasing electrode;
- two or more second process chambers coupled to the transfer chamber and having a heat source configured to heat one or more substrates to a temperature greater than about 950° C.;
- a load lock chamber coupled to the transfer chamber and having a substrate supporting surface configured to receive a substrate from the first transfer robot;
- and
- a substrate interface module having a second transfer robot configured to transfer a substrate between the substrate interface module and the one or more regions of the load lock chamber;
- and
- a furnace having a heat source configured to heat one or more substrates to a temperature between about 700 and about 950° C.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.