Plasma etching process for the manufacture of solar cells
US4141811A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 24, 1978 |
| Grant date | Feb 27, 1979 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 24, 1998 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02P70/50
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A process for manufacturing solar cells. Silicon wafers are assembled in a holding jig such as a diffusion boat in pairs with adjacent surfaces of each of the pairs in contact. The thus assembled wafers are subjected to a chemical vapor deposition diffusion step during which a phosphorous pentoxide glass layer is formed predominantly on the exposed surfaces and side edges of the wafers along with a PN junction thereunder. A small amount of the phosphorous pentoxide glass is also formed on the surfaces which are in contact with each other particularly at the outer edges thereof. The wafers are then reassembled in such a manner that the surfaces having the phosphorous pentoxide layer thereon are placed in contact with each other and again the wafers are placed in a holding jig. The thus assembled wafers are then placed in a plasma etching reactor for removal of the phosphorous pentoxide glass layer and the underlying PN junction from the side edges and the surfaces opposite the surfaces exposed during the previous diffusion step.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.