Solar cell having an emitter region with wide bandgap semiconductor material

US9054255B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• SUNPOWER CORPORATION · US

Inventors

• Richard M. Swanson · Los Altos, US
• Marius M. Bunea · Santa Clara, US
• Michael C. Johnson · Alameda, US
• David D. Smith · Dublin, US
• Yu-Chen Shen · Sunnyvale, US
• Peter John Cousins · Menlo Park, US
• Tim Dennis · Canton, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 23, 2012
• Grant date: Jun 9, 2015
• Expiry date: Sep 2, 2032

Classification

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

Abstract

Solar cells having emitter regions composed of wide bandgap semiconductor material are described. In an example, a method includes forming, in a process tool having a controlled atmosphere, a thin dielectric layer on a surface of a semiconductor substrate of the solar cell. The semiconductor substrate has a bandgap. Without removing the semiconductor substrate from the controlled atmosphere of the process tool, a semiconductor layer is formed on the thin dielectric layer. The semiconductor layer has a bandgap at least approximately 0.2 electron Volts (eV) above the bandgap of the semiconductor substrate.