# US 2019/0172957 A1 · Passivated Emitter and Rear Contact Solar Cell

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- Number: US 2019/0172957 A1
- Document ID: US20190172957A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/322,124
- Filed: 2017-08-03
- Published: 2019-06-06
- Earliest claimed: 2016-08-04
- Assignees: Nederlandse Organisatie voor toegepast-natuurwetenschappelijk onderzoek TNO
- Applicants: Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast- Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek Tno
- Inventors: John ANKER; Evert Eugene BENDE; Lambert Johan GEERLIGS; Maciej Krzyszto STODOLNY
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190172957A1

## CPC

- H10F 77/311: {for photovoltaic cells}
- H01B 1/023: {Alloys based on aluminium}
- H01B 1/16: the conductive material comprising metals or alloys
- H10F 10/14: Photovoltaic cells having only PN homojunction potential barriers
- H10F 10/148: {Double-emitter photovoltaic cells, e.g. bifacial photovoltaic cells}
- H10F 71/121: {The active layers comprising only Group IV materials}
- H10F 71/128: {Annealing}
- H10F 71/129: {Passivating}
- H10F 77/219: {Arrangements for electrodes of back-contact photovoltaic cells}
- H10F 77/223: {for metallisation wrap-through [MWT] photovoltaic cells}
- Y02E 10/546: Polycrystalline silicon PV cells
- Y02E 10/547: Monocrystalline silicon PV cells
- Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
- H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
- H01B: CABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES (selection for magnetic properties H01F1/00; waveguides H01P {; printed circuits H05K})
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

Solar cell and method of manufacturing a solar cell. The solar cell has a silicon substrate (2) and a layer (4) disposed on a substrate side (2a) of the silicon substrate (2). It further has a contact structure (6) extending through the layer (4) from a cell side (1a) of the solar cell (1) to the silicon substrate (2). The layer (4) is composed of a polycrystalline silicon layer (8) and a tunnel oxide layer (10) interposed between the polycrystalline silicon layer (8) and the silicon substrate (2).

## Claims

### Claim 1

A solar cell, comprising a silicon substrate and a layer disposed on a substrate side of the silicon substrate, and further comprising a contact structure extending through the layer from a cell side of the solar cell to the silicon substrate,
wherein the layer comprises a polycrystalline silicon layer and a tunnel oxide layer interposed between the polycrystalline silicon layer and the silicon substrate.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The solar cell according to claim 1, wherein the polycrystalline silicon layer is an intrinsic polycrystalline silicon layer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The solar cell according to claim 1, wherein the polycrystalline silicon layer is a p-doped silicon layer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The solar cell according to claim 1, wherein the polycrystalline silicon layer has a thickness between 5-300 nm.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The solar cell according to claim 1, wherein the tunnel oxide layer comprises a thermal oxide or a wet chemical oxide.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The solar cell according to claim 1, wherein the tunnel oxide layer has a thickness between 0.5-2.5 nm.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The solar cell according to claim 1, wherein the layer further comprises a hydrogen providing capping layer disposed on the polycrystalline silicon layer.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The solar cell according to claim 7, wherein the capping layer comprises aluminium oxide or silicon nitride.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The solar cell according to claim 7, wherein the capping layer has a thickness of 4-200 nm.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The solar cell according to claim 1, wherein the contact structure is an aluminium based contact structure.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The solar cell according to claim 10, wherein the aluminium based contact structure comprises boron and/or silicon.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The solar cell according to claim 1, wherein the contact structure comprises an aluminium-silicon alloy layer and a p+ doped silicon layer interfacing with the silicon substrate.

### Claim 13

Method A method of manufacturing a solar cell, comprising the steps of:
a) providing a silicon substrate;
b) depositing a tunnel oxide layer on a substrate side of the silicon substrate;
c) depositing a polycrystalline silicon layer on the tunnel oxide layer; and
d) providing a contact structure extending from a cell side of the silicon substrate through the polycrystalline silicon layer and tunnel oxide layer to the silicon substrate.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method according to claim 13, wherein the method further comprises the step of annealing the silicon substrate, the tunnel oxide layer and the polycrystalline silicon layer.