Modular interdigitated back contact photovoltaic cell structure on opaque substrate and fabrication process

A method of making a photovoltaic cell comprising:

• forming positive and negative interdigitated electrode fingers on a top surface of a substrate and with the positive and negative interdigitated electrode fingers having angled sidewalls;
• forming spaced p-type and n-type semiconductor strips on the respective positive and negative interdigitated electrode fingers;
• forming a respective undoped semiconductor strip between adjacent p-type and n-type semiconductor strips;
• and
• forming a semiconductor layer covering the spaced p-type and n-type semiconductor strips and the undoped semiconductor strips.

A method of making a photovoltaic cell comprising:

• forming positive and negative interdigitated electrode fingers on a top surface of a substrate and with the positive and negative interdigitated electrode fingers being coplanar;
• forming spaced p-type and n-type semiconductor strips on the respective positive and negative interdigitated electrode fingers;
• forming a respective undoped semiconductor strip between adjacent p-type and n-type semiconductor strips;
• and
• forming a semiconductor layer covering the spaced p-type and n-type semiconductor strips and the undoped semiconductor strips.

A method of making a photovoltaic cell comprising:

• providing a substrate having a dielectric surface;
• depositing a layer of a lithographically etchable metal adapted to establish electrical contact with silicon on the substrate;
• patterning a metal layer to define spaced alternately positive and negative electrode fingers of interdigitated electrodes of a two terminal structure;
• filling between adjacent electrode fingers of the patterned metal layer with a dielectric filler;
• depositing a layer of hydrogenated amorphous silicon;
• defining footprints of the spaced alternately positive and negative electrode fingers by printing layers of a source substance over respective areas of the layer of hydrogenated amorphous silicon;
• diffusing the dopants from the print layers of source substance into the hydrogenated amorphous silicon such that hydrogen from the hydrogenated amorphous silicon releases and thereby crystallizes the amorphous silicon to form polysilicon;
• removing residues of the printed layers and native oxides from a surface of the polysilicon;
• depositing a semiconductor layer being at least partly crystallized on the polysilicon;
• and
• increasing a dopant concentration the layer of at least partly crystallized silicon and thereby forming an electrically conductive shallow superficial doped diffused region thereon.