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US 8,709,851 B2Granted
Method of fabricating a solar cell with a tunnel dielectric layer
AssigneeSunPower Corporation
InventorsTim Dennis, Scott Harrington, Jane Manning, David D. Smith, Ann Waldhauer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods of fabricating solar cells with tunnel dielectric layers are described. Solar cells with tunnel dielectric layers are also described.
Claims20
A method of fabricating a solar cell, the method comprising:
- consuming a portion of a substrate of the solar cell to provide a surface oxide layer of the substrate by exposing the substrate to a wet chemical solution;
- and
- heating the surface oxide layer in a dry atmosphere at a temperature near or above 900 degrees Celsius to convert the surface oxide layer to a tunnel dielectric layer of the solar cell.
A method of fabricating a solar cell, the method comprising:
- consuming, at a temperature less than 600 degrees Celsius, a portion of a substrate of the solar cell to provide a surface oxide layer of the substrate by thermal oxidation;
- and
- heating the surface oxide layer in a dry atmosphere at a temperature near or above 900 degrees Celsius to convert the surface oxide layer to a tunnel dielectric layer of the solar cell.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.