Process for manufacturing a solar cell
AssigneeBP Solar Limited
InventorsNigel Brunel Mason, Richard Walter John Russell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Process for incorporating a back surface field into a silicon solar cell by depositing a layer of aluminium on the rear surface of the cell, sintering the aluminium at a temperature between 700 and 1000° C., exposing the cell to an atmosphere of a compound of Group V element and diffusing at a temperature of between 950 and 1000°C. so as to dope exposed p-type silicon surfaces with the Group V element. The step of exposing the cell to an atmosphere of a compound of a Group V element is carried separately from the step of sintering the aluminium layer, and subsequent to the step of depositing a layer of aluminium on the rear surface of the cell.
Claims11
Process for incorporating a back surface field into a silicon solar cell, which comprises the steps of:
- a) depositing a layer of aluminium on a rear surface of the cell;
- b) sintering the aluminium layer at a sintering temperature of between 700 and 1000° C.;
- c) exposing the cell to an atmosphere of a compound of a Group V element, and diffusing at a temperature of between 950 and 1000° C., so as to dope exposed p-type silicon surfaces with said Group V element,
- wherein step (c) is carried out separately from step (b) and subsequent to step (a).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.