Method for improving wafer performance for photovoltaic devices

US10910509B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• NewSouth Innovations Pty Limited · AU

Inventors

• Alison Ciesla · Sydney, AU
• Brett Jason Hallam · Sydney, AU
• Catherine Emily Chan · Sydney, AU
• Chee Mun Chong · Sydney, AU
• Daniel Chen · Webster, US
• Darren Bagnall · Sydney, AU
• David Neil Payne · Hedge End, GB
• Ly Mai · Sydney, AU
• Malcolm David Abbott · Fawn Drive, AU
• Moonyong Kim · Sydney, AU
• Ran Chen · Fremont, US
• Stuart Ross Wenham · Parramatta, AU
• Tsun Hang Fung · Sydney, AU
• Zhengrong Shi · Shanghai, CN

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 22, 2017
• Grant date: Feb 2, 2021
• Expiry date: Nov 22, 2037

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02P70/50

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a method for processing a silicon wafer that allows improving performance by exploiting the properties of crystallographic imperfections. The method comprises the steps of: forming a silicon layer with crystallographic imperfections in the proximity of a surface of the silicon; exposing at least a portion of the device to hydrogen atoms in a manner such that hydrogen atoms migrate towards the region with crystallographic imperfections and into the silicon along the crystallographic imperfections; and controlling the charge state of hydrogen atoms located at the crystallographic imperfections to be positive when the imperfections are in a p-type region of the wafer; and negative when the imperfections are at an n-type region of the wafer by thermally treating the silicon while exposing the silicon to an illumination intensity of less than 10 mW/cm2.