Solar cell

A solar cell comprising:

• a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type having opposed first and second surfaces and including a plurality of recesses disposed in the substrate at the first surface, leaving a plurality of mutually isolated areas of the substrate exposed at the first surface, the substrate including at the first surface mutually isolated, spaced apart regions of a second conductivity type, opposite from the first conductivity type;
• an electrically insulating material filling the recesses;
• an electrically conducting, transparent, anti-reflection film on the first surface of the substrate and on the electrically insulating material in electrical contact with the second conductivity type regions;
• and
• a first electrode in electrical contact with the electrically conducting, transparent, anti-reflection transparent film at a light incident surface of the solar cell and a second electrode disposed on the second surface of the substrate in electrical contact with the substrate.

A solar cell comprising:

• an electrically conducting semiconductor substrate having opposed first and second surfaces and including a plurality of recesses disposed in the substrate at the first surface, leaving a plurality of mutually isolated areas of the substrate exposed at the first surface;
• an electrically insulating material filling the recesses;
• a first semiconductor film of a first conductivity type disposed on the electrically insulating material and the semiconductor substrate at the first surface;
• a second semiconductor film of a second conductivity type, opposite from the first conductivity type, disposed on the first semiconductor film forming a rectifying junction with the first semiconductor film;
• and
• a first electrode in electrical contact with the second semiconductor film at a light incident surface of the solar cell and a second electrode disposed on the second surface of the substrate in electrical contact with the substrate.

A solar cell comprising:

• an electrically conducting semiconductor substrate having opposed first and second surfaces and including a plurality of recesses disposed in the substrate at the first surface, leaving a plurality of mutually isolated areas of the substrate exposed at the first surface;
• an electrically insulating material filling the recesses;
• a first semiconductor film disposed on the electrically insulating material and the semiconductor substrate at the first surface;
• a relatively thin metal film disposed on the first semiconductor film;
• and
• a first electrode in electrical contact with the thin metal film at a light incident surface of the solar cell and a second electrode disposed on the second surface of the substrate in electrical contact with the substrate.

A method of making a solar cell, comprising:

• forming a plurality of recesses in a surface of a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type;
• depositing an electrically insulating material on the substrate and in the recesses;
• removing a portion of the electrically insulating material to expose a first surface of the substrate at a plurality of mutually isolated locations;
• depositing a first semiconductor film of a second conductivity type, opposite from the first conductivity type, on the electrically insulating material and the first surface of the substrate to form a plurality of rectifying junctions between the first semiconductor film and the substrate;
• and
• depositing first and second electrodes in electrical contact with the first semiconductor film and substrate, respectively.

A method of making a solar cell, comprising:

• forming a plurality of recesses in a surface of a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type;
• depositing an electrically insulating material on the substrate and in the recesses;
• removing a portion of the electrically insulating material to expose a first surface of the substrate at a plurality of mutually isolated locations;
• depositing a thin metal film on the electrically insulating material and the first surface of the substrate to form a plurality of rectifying junctions with the substrate;
• and
• depositing first and second electrodes in electrical contact with the thin metal film and substrate, respectively.

A method of making a solar cell, comprising:

• forming a plurality of recesses in a surface of a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type;
• depositing an electrically insulating material on the substrate and in the recesses;
• removing a portion of the electrically insulating material to expose a first surface of the substrate at a plurality of mutually isolated locations;
• diffusing a dopant impurity producing the second conductivity type into the first surface of the semiconductor substrate to form mutually isolated pn junctions at respective mutually isolated locations on the first surface of the substrate;
• depositing an electrically conducting, transparent, anti-reflection film on the electrically insulating material and the first surface of the substrate;
• and
• depositing first and second electrodes in electrical contact with the electrically conducting, transparent, anti-reflection film and substrate, respectively.

A method of making a solar cell, comprising:

• forming a plurality of recesses in a surface of an electrically conductive semiconductor substrate;
• depositing an electrically insulating material on the substrate and in the recesses;
• removing a portion of the electrically insulating material to expose a first surface of the substrate at a plurality of mutually isolated locations;
• depositing a first semiconductor film of a first conductivity type on the electrically insulating material and the first surface of the substrate in electrical contact with the substrate at the plurality of mutually isolated locations on the substrate;
• depositing a second semiconductor film of a second conductivity type, opposite the first conductivity type, on the first semiconductor film to form a rectifying junction with the first semiconductor film;
• and
• depositing first and second electrodes in electrical contact with the second semiconductor film and substrate, respectively.

A method of making a solar cell, comprising:

• forming a plurality of recesses in a surface of an electrically conductive semiconductor substrate;
• depositing an electrically insulating material on the substrate and in the recesses;
• removing a portion of the electrically insulating material to expose a first surface of the substrate at a plurality of mutually isolated locations;
• depositing a first semiconductor film on the electrically insulating material on the first surface of the substrate;
• depositing a thin metal film on the first semiconductor film to form a plurality of rectifying junctions with the first semiconductor film;
• and
• depositing first and second electrodes in electrical contact with the thin metal film and substrate, respectively.