Process for producing solar cell, process for producing thin-film semiconductor, process for separating thin-film semiconductor, and process for forming semiconductor
US6331208A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 13, 1999 |
| Grant date | Dec 18, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 13, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S117/915
- WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A crystal silicon substrate is anodized to form a porous layer thereon, and a thin-film crystal is grown by epitaxial growth on the porous layer. Openings extending from the surface of the grown crystal and reaching the porous layer are provided by applying laser beams, and the porous layer is selectively etched through the openings to separate the thin-film crystal from the substrate. The thin-film crystal separated is transferred to another supporting substrate to form a solar cell. Also, porous silicon layers serving as separation layers are formed on a substrate silicon wafer on both sides, and thin-film semiconductor (thin-film single-crystal silicon) layers are formed by epitaxial growth on both porous silicon layers. Then, through openings are made in the thin-film single-crystal silicon layers. Thereafter, the porous silicon layers are removed by wet etching carried out through the openings to separate two thin-film single-crystal silicon layers simultaneously from the wafer. When solar cells are formed, the thin-film single-crystal silicon layers are used as electricity generation layers, and the openings as through holes for a contact electrode. A back electrode is furthe…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.