Patent · US Expired

Method for passivating crystal silicon surfaces

US7629236B2 · kind B2 · utility

2Cited by
3References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 26, 2004
Grant dateDec 8, 2009
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 30, 2025

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02P70/50

Abstract

In a method of making a c-Si-based cell or a μc-Si-based cell, the improvement of increasing the minority charge carrier's lifetime, comprising: a) placing a c-Si or polysilicon wafer into CVD reaction chamber under a low vacuum condition and subjecting the substrate of the wafer to heating; and b) passing mixing gases comprising NH3/H2 through the reaction chamber at a low vacuum pressure for a sufficient time and at a sufficient flow rate to enable growth of an a-Si:H layer sufficient to increase the lifetime of the c-Si or polysilicon cell beyond that of the growth of an a-Si:H layer without treatment of the wafer with NH3/H2.

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