Front contact solar cell with formed electrically conducting layers on the front side and backside
AssigneeSunPower Corporation
InventorPeter John COUSINS
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bipolar solar cell includes a backside junction formed by a silicon substrate and a first doped layer of a first dopant type on the backside of the solar cell. A second doped layer of a second dopant type makes an electrical connection to the substrate from the front side of the solar cell. A first metal contact of a first electrical polarity electrically connects to the first doped layer on the backside of the solar cell, and a second metal contact of a second electrical polarity electrically connects to the second doped layer on the front side of the solar cell. An external electrical circuit may be electrically connected to the first and second metal contacts to be powered by the solar cell.
Claims21
1-20. (canceled)
A solar cell, the solar cell comprising:
- a first thin dielectric layer disposed on a back surface of a substrate, the back surface opposite a front surface of the substrate;
- a first layer of doped polysilicon disposed on the first thin dielectric layer;
- a first metal contact disposed on and electrically connected to the first layer of doped polysilicon;
- a second metal contact disposed over and electrically connected to the front surface of the substrate;
- a doped region under a textured portion of the front surface of the substrate, the doped region being of opposite conductivity type to the first layer of doped polysilicon;
- and
- a dielectric layer comprising contact holes disposed over the first layer of doped polysilicon, wherein the first metal contact is electrically connected to the first layer of doped polysilicon through the contact holes.
A solar cell, the solar cell comprising:
- a first silicon dioxide layer disposed on a back surface of a N-type silicon substrate, the back surface opposite a front surface of the N-type silicon substrate;
- a textured surface on the front surface of the N-type silicon substrate;
- an antireflective layer on the textured surface;
- a first layer of doped polysilicon disposed on the first silicon dioxide layer;
- a first metal contact disposed on and electrically connected to the first layer of doped polysilicon;
- a second metal contact disposed over and electrically connected to the front surface of the N-type silicon substrate;
- a doped region under the textured surface, the doped region being of opposite conductivity type to the first layer of doped polysilicon;
- and
- a dielectric layer comprising contact holes disposed over the first layer of doped polysilicon, wherein the first metal contact is electrically connected to the first layer of doped polysilicon through the contact holes.
A solar cell, the solar cell comprising:
- a first thin dielectric layer disposed on a back surface of a substrate, the back surface opposite a front surface of the substrate;
- a first layer of doped polysilicon disposed on the first thin dielectric layer;
- a first metal contact disposed on and electrically connected to the first layer of doped polysilicon;
- a second metal contact disposed over and electrically connected to the front surface of the substrate;
- a doped region under a textured portion of the front surface of the substrate, the doped region being of opposite conductivity type to the first layer of doped polysilicon;
- a dielectric layer comprising contact holes disposed over the first layer of doped polysilicon, wherein the first metal contact is electrically connected to the first layer of doped polysilicon through the contact holes;
- and
- a first bus bar disposed on the front surface of the substrate, wherein the first metal contact is in electrical contact with, and perpendicular to, the first bus bar.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.