Solar cell contact formation using laser ablation
AssigneeSunPower Corporation
InventorsGabriel Harley, David D. Smith, Peter John Cousins
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The formation of solar cell contacts using a laser is described. A method of fabricating a back-contact solar cell includes forming a poly-crystalline material layer above a single-crystalline substrate. The method also includes forming a dielectric material stack above the poly-crystalline material layer. The method also includes forming, by laser ablation, a plurality of contacts holes in the dielectric material stack, each of the contact holes exposing a portion of the poly-crystalline materiat layer; and forming conductive contacts in the plurality of contact holes.
Claims14
A method of fabricating a solar cell, the method comprising:
- forming a poly-crystalline material layer above a single-crystalline substrate;
- forming a dielectric material above the poly-crystalline material layer;
- forming, by laser ablation, a plurality of contacts holes in the dielectric material, the plurality of the contact holes exposing P-type and N-type doped regions that are formed in the poly-crystalline material layer;
- and
- forming conductive contacts in the plurality of contact holes, a first conductive contact of the conductive contacts being formed to electrically connect to a corresponding P-type doped region in the poly-crystalline material layer and a second conductive contact of the conductive contacts being formed to electrically connect to a corresponding N-type doped region in the poly-crystalline material layer.
A method of fabricating a solar cell, the method comprising:
- forming a poly-crystalline material layer above a single-crystalline substrate;
- forming a dielectric material above the poly-crystalline material layer;
- using a laser to form a contact hole in the dielectric material to form a recast poly signature in the poly-crystalline material layer, the contact hole exposing the recast poly signature in a doped region of the poly-crystalline material layer, the poly-crystalline material layer including P-type and N-type doped regions;
- and
- forming a conductive contact in the contact hole, the conductive contact being coupled to the P-type doped region or the N-type doped region in the poly-crystalline material layer and in alignment with the recast poly signature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.