Selective atomic layer deposition of passivation layers for silicon-based photovoltaic devices

A method for forming passivation materials on a substrate, comprising:

• forming a pattern inhibitor layer on a back surface of a substrate during a screen-printing process, wherein a positive pattern of the back surface is covered by the pattern inhibitor layer and a negative pattern of the back surface is substantially free of the pattern inhibitor layer;
• forming a passivation layer comprising aluminum oxide on the back surface within the negative pattern and maintaining the pattern inhibitor layer substantially free of the passivation layer during a selective atomic layer deposition process;
• removing the pattern inhibitor layer from the positive pattern of the back surface;
• and
• forming a contact layer on the back surface within the positive pattern after removing the pattern inhibitor layer.

A method for forming passivation materials on a substrate, comprising:

• forming a pattern inhibitor layer on a back surface of a substrate during a microcontact-printing process, wherein a positive pattern of the back surface is covered by the pattern inhibitor layer and a negative pattern of the back surface is substantially free of the pattern inhibitor layer;
• forming a passivation layer comprising aluminum oxide on the back surface within the negative pattern and maintaining the pattern inhibitor layer substantially free of the passivation layer during a selective atomic layer deposition process;
• removing the pattern inhibitor layer from the positive pattern of the back surface;
• and
• forming a contact layer on the back surface within the positive pattern after removing the pattern inhibitor layer.