Ablative scribing of solar cell structures

US8048706B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Miasole · US

Inventors

• Osman Ghandour · معلمی نژاد, US
• Alex Austin · Santa Clara, US
• Daebong Lee · Sunnyvale, US
• Jason Stephen Corneille · San Jose, US
• James Teixeira · San Jose, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 14, 2010
• Grant date: Nov 1, 2011
• Expiry date: Oct 14, 2030

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02E10/50

Abstract

Provided herein are improved methods of laser scribing photovoltaic structures to form monolithically integrated photovoltaic modules. The methods involve forming P1, P2 or P3 scribes by an ablative scribing mechanism having low melting, and in certain embodiments, substantially no melting. In certain embodiments, the methods involve generating an ablation shockwave at an interface of the film to be removed and the underlying layer. The film is then removed by mechanical shock. According to various embodiments, the ablation shockwave is generated by using a laser beam having a wavelength providing an optical penetration depth on the order of the film thickness and a minimum threshold intensity. In one embodiment, material including an absorber layer is scribed using an infrared laser source and a picosecond pulse width.