Solar cells with improved lifetime, passivation and/or efficiency
AssigneeSunPower Corporation
InventorsDavid D. Smith, Tim Dennis, Russelle De Jesus Tabajonda
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of fabricating a solar cell can include forming a dielectric region on a silicon substrate. The method can also include forming an emitter region over the dielectric region and forming a dopant region on a surface of the silicon substrate. In an embodiment, the method can include heating the silicon substrate at a temperature above 900 degrees Celsius to getter impurities to the emitter region and drive dopants from the dopant region to a portion of the silicon substrate.
Claims12
A solar cell, the solar cell having a front side which faces the sun during normal operation and a back side opposite the front side, the solar cell comprising:
- a dielectric region over a silicon substrate, wherein a portion of the silicon substrate has a dopant concentration of approximately less than or equal to 2×1018cm−3,
- a first emitter region having metal impurities formed over the dielectric region;
- a first metal contact formed over the first emitter region;
- a second emitter region having metal impurities;
- and
- a second metal contact formed over the second emitter region, wherein the first emitter region and first metal contact are formed on a side of the solar cell opposite a side of the solar cell on which the second emitter region and second metal contact are formed, and wherein the second metal contact has a staggered orientation with the first metal contact with respect to a vertical axis between the second metal contact and the first metal contact.
A solar cell, the solar cell having a front side which faces the sun during normal operation and a back side opposite the front side, the solar cell comprising:
- a dielectric region over a silicon substrate;
- a first emitter region having metal impurities formed over the dielectric region;
- a first metal contact formed over the first emitter region;
- a second emitter region having metal impurities;
- and
- a second metal contact formed over the second emitter region, wherein the first emitter region and first metal contact are formed on a side of the solar cell opposite a side of the solar cell on which the second emitter region and second metal contact are formed, and wherein the second metal contact has a staggered orientation with the first metal contact with respect to a vertical axis between the second metal contact and the first metal contact.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.