Metal catalyst technique for texturing silicon solar cells
US6329296A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 9, 2000 |
| Grant date | Dec 11, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 9, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E10/50
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Textured silicon solar cells and techniques for their manufacture utilizing metal sources to catalyze formation of randomly distributed surface features such as nanoscale pyramidal and columnar structures. These structures include dimensions smaller than the wavelength of incident light, thereby resulting in a highly effective anti-reflective surface. According to the invention, metal sources present in a reactive ion etching chamber permit impurities (e.g. metal particles) to be introduced into a reactive ion etch plasma resulting in deposition of micro-masks on the surface of a substrate to be etched. Separate embodiments are disclosed including one in which the metal source includes one or more metal-coated substrates strategically positioned relative to the surface to be textured, and another in which the walls of the reaction chamber are pre-conditioned with a thin coating of metal catalyst material.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.