Photovoltaic cells having contacts and method of applying same
AssigneeSolarex Corporation
InventorJoseph Lindmayer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Electrically conductive contacts containing zinc or other solderable metals, and aluminum are formed on the front and/or back surfaces of a solar cell. They are deposited by spraying the metals onto the cell surfaces, together or as layers, with the aluminum-containing layer in direct contact with the cell surfaces.
Claims15
A method of applying an electrically conductive contact to the surface of a photovoltaic cell, comprising forming a mixture of aluminum and a solderable soft metal at a temperature in excess of the alloying temperature of said mixture and silicon, said metal comprising at least about 10% of said mixture, and spraying said mixture toward said surface at a distance such that said mixture will contact said surface at a temperature at which it will alloy with said silicon and thereby adhere to said surface.
A method of applying an electrically conductive contact to the surface of a silicon photovoltaic cell, comprising spraying a metal comprised of aluminum toward said surface at a distance such that said metal will contact said surface at a temperature at which it will alloy with the silicon and form a layer adhered to said surface, and thereafter spraying a coating of a solderable soft metal over said adhered layer.
A photovoltaic cell having a front surface adapted to receive and absorb light impinging thereon and a back surface opposed to said front surface, and an electrical contact covering at least a portion of at least one of said surfaces, said contact being comprised of a layer of a mixture of aluminum and at least about 10% zinc.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.