Patent · US Expired

Method for manufacturing electrical contacts for a thin-film semiconductor device

US4783421A · kind A · utility

39Cited by
8References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 29, 1987
Grant dateNov 8, 1988
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 29, 2007

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S438/94

Abstract

A method of fabricating spaced-apart back contacts on a thin film of semiconductor material by forming strips of buffer material on top of the semiconductor material in locations corresponding to the desired dividing lines between back contacts, forming a film of metal substantially covering the semiconductor material and buffer strips, and scribing portions of the metal film overlying the buffer strips with a laser without contacting the underlying semiconductor material to separate the metal layer into a plurality of back contacts. The buffer material serves to protect the underlying semiconductor material from being damaged during the laser scribing. Back contacts and multi-cell photovoltaic modules incorporating such back contacts also are disclosed.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.