High-efficiency photovoltaic back-contact solar cell structures and manufacturing methods using thin planar semiconductor absorbers

US8962380B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Solexel, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Mehrdad M. Moslehi · Dallas, US
• Pawan Kapur · Palo Alto, US
• Karl-Josef Kramer · San Jose, US
• David Xuan-Qi Wang · Fremont, US
• Sean M. Seutter · Fremont, US
• Virenda V. Rana · Los Gatos, US
• Anthony Calcaterra · Milpitas, US
• Emmanuel Van Kerschaver · Los Altos, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 9, 2010
• Grant date: Feb 24, 2015
• Expiry date: Apr 17, 2031

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02P70/50

Abstract

Back contact back junction solar cell and methods for manufacturing are provided. The back contact back junction solar cell comprises a substrate having a light capturing frontside surface with a passivation layer, a doped base region, and a doped backside emitter region with a polarity opposite the doped base region. A backside passivation layer and patterned reflective layer on the emitter form a light trapping backside mirror. An interdigitated metallization pattern is positioned on the backside of the solar cell and a permanent reinforcement provides support to the cell.