A method for manufacturing a photovoltaic device

A method for forming a silicon hetero-junction photovoltaic device, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a substrate comprising doped silicon material with a first polarity;
• performing a first hydrogen passivation process to the substrate at a temperature above 500° C. in a manner such that excess minority carriers are generated in the silicon material;
• subsequent to performing the first hydrogen passivation, forming a first layer of intrinsic amorphous silicon onto a first surface of the substrate;
• forming a layer of doped amorphous silicon material with a first polarity onto a portion of the first layer;
• forming a second layer of intrinsic amorphous silicon onto a second surface of the substrate;
• the second surface being opposite to the first surface;
• forming a layer of doped amorphous silicon material with a second polarity onto a portion of the second layer;
• the second polarity being opposite to the first polarity;
• and
• performing a second hydrogen passivation process at a temperature below 500° C. in a manner such that excess minority carriers are generated in the amorphous silicon material;
• wherein the first or the second hydrogen passivation process enables passivation of electrically active defects in the bulk region of the silicon material.

A method for forming a hybrid silicon photovoltaic device, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a substrate comprising doped silicon material;
• forming a region of silicon material with a first polarity into the doped silicon material on a first surface of the substrate;
• and
• performing a first hydrogen passivation process at a temperature above 500° C. in a manner such that excess minority carriers are generated in the silicon material;
• subsequent to performing a first hydrogen passivation, forming a layer of intrinsic amorphous silicon on a second surface of the substrate;
• the second surface being different to the first surface;
• forming a layer of doped amorphous silicon material with the second polarity onto a portion of the layer of intrinsic amorphous silicon;
• the second polarity being opposite to the first polarity;
• and
• performing a second hydrogen passivation process at a temperature below 500° C. in a manner such that excess minority carriers are generated in the amorphous silicon material;
• wherein the first or the second hydrogen passivation process enables passivation of electrically active defects in the bulk region of the silicon material.

A method for forming a poly-silicon photovoltaic device, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a substrate;
• forming a first layer of poly-silicon with a first polarity onto a first region of the substrate;
• forming a second layer of poly-silicon with a second polarity onto a second region of the substrate;
• the second polarity being opposite to the first polarity;
• and
• performing a first hydrogen passivation process at a temperature above 500° C. in a manner such that excess minority carriers are generated in the silicon material;
• forming metallic contacts to extract charge carriers from the first and the second layer of poly-silicon;
• and
• performing a second hydrogen passivation process at a temperature below 500° C. in a manner such that excess minority carriers are generated in the poly-silicon material;
• the second hydrogen passivation process comprising the step of exposing the device to electromagnetic radiation;
• the electromagnetic radiation being such that photons with an energy higher than a bandgap of the poly-silicon material provide a power density of at least 10 mW/cm2;
• wherein the first or the second hydrogen passivation process enables passivation of electrically active defects in the bulk region of the silicon material.

A method for forming a hybrid silicon photovoltaic device, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a substrate comprising doped silicon material;
• forming a region of silicon material with a first polarity into the doped silicon material on a first surface of the substrate;
• and
• forming a layer of poly-silicon with a second polarity on a second surface of the substrate;
• the second polarity being opposite to the first polarity;
• the second surface being opposite to the first surface;
• forming a dielectric layer that contains hydrogen on the region with the first polarity;
• subsequent to forming the dielectric layer, performing a first hydrogen passivation process at a temperature above 500° C. in a manner such that excess minority carriers are generated in the silicon material;
• the first hydrogen passivation process comprising the step of exposing the device to electromagnetic radiation;
• the electromagnetic radiation being such that photons with an energy higher than a bandgap of the poly-silicon material provide a power density of at least 10 mW/cm2;
• forming metallic contacts to extract charge carriers from the first and the second layer of poly-silicon;
• and
• performing a second hydrogen passivation process at a temperature below 500° C. in a manner such that excess minority carriers are generated in the poly-silicon material;
• wherein the first or the second hydrogen passivation process enables passivation of electrically active defects in the bulk region of the silicon material.

A method for forming a photovoltaic device, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a silicon substrate;
• performing a first hydrogen passivation process at a temperature above 500° C. in a manner such that excess minority carriers are generated in the silicon;
• forming a carrier selective layer on a first region of the substrate;
• the carrier selective layer being such to minimise flow of carriers with a first polarity through the layer;
• forming metallic contacts to extract charge carriers from the carrier selective layer;
• and
• performing a second hydrogen passivation process at a temperature below 500° C. in a manner such that excess minority carriers are generated in the silicon;
• the second hydrogen passivation process comprising the step of exposing the device to electromagnetic radiation;
• the electromagnetic radiation being such that photons with an energy higher than a bandgap of the silicon material provide a power density of at least 10 mW/cm2;
• wherein the first or the second hydrogen passivation process enables passivation of electrically active defects in the bulk region of the silicon material.

A method for forming a photovoltaic device, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a silicon substrate;
• forming at least one hetero-junction structure a first region of the substrate;
• the hetero-junction structure being arranged to generate excess carrier when exposed to radiation;
• performing a first hydrogen passivation process at a temperature above 500° C. in a manner such that excess minority carriers are generated in the hetero-junction structure;
• forming metallic contacts to extract charge carriers from the hetero-junction structure;
• and
• performing a second hydrogen passivation process at a temperature below 500° C. in a manner such that excess minority carriers are generated in the hetero-junction structure;
• the second hydrogen passivation process comprising the step of exposing the device to electromagnetic radiation;
• the electromagnetic radiation being such that photons with an energy higher than a bandgap of the hetero-junction material provide a power density of at least 10 mW/cm2;
• wherein the first hydrogen passivation process enables diffusion of hydrogen through the silicon and the second hydrogen passivation process enables passivation of electrically active defects in the hetero-junction.