Photovoltaic cells having a back side passivation layer
AssigneeCima NanoTech Israel Ltd.
InventorsWah Chung Wong, Hao Chen, Hua Gong, Annette Saenger, Dmitry Lekhtman
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Abstract
A process for making a photovoltaic cell includes providing a semiconducting substrate having a back side passivation layer, and coating a self-assembling emulsion that includes glass frit particles onto the back side passivation layer. The emulsion is allowed to self-assemble into a network of traces that define cells. An electrode is formed over the network to create a precursor cell, which is then fired to cause the network to burn through the passivation layer and establish electrical contact between the semiconducting substrate and the electrode.
Claims14
A process for making a photovoltaic cell comprising:
- (a) providing a semiconducting substrate having a back side passivation layer;
- (b) coating a self-assembling emulsion comprising glass frit particles onto the back side passivation layer;
- (c) allowing the emulsion to self-assemble into a network of traces that define cells;
- (d) forming an electrode over the network to create a precursor cell;
- and
- (e) firing the precursor cell to cause the network to burn through the passivation layer and establish electrical contact between the semiconducting substrate and the electrode.
A photovoltaic cell comprising:
- (a) a semiconducting substrate having a front side and a back side;
- (b) an electrode on the front side of the substrate;
- (c) a layer on the back side of the substrate comprising passivating regions separated by interconnected traces, where the traces have an average width of less than 10 μm and the interconnected traces provide an areal coverage on the back side of the substrate of less than 10%;
- and
- (d) a second electrode overlying the layer and in electrical contact with the semiconducting substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.