Shielded electrical contact and doping through a passivating dielectric layer in a high-efficiency crystalline solar cell, including structure and methods of manufacture

US9184314B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• TETRASUN, INC. · US

Inventors

• Douglas E. Crafts · San Jose, US
• Oliver SCHULTZ-WITTMAN · Sunnyvale, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 25, 2011
• Grant date: Nov 10, 2015
• Expiry date: Feb 18, 2032

Classification

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

Abstract

Solar cell structures and formation methods which utilize the surface texture in conjunction with a passivating dielectric layer to provide a practical and controllable technique of forming an electrical contact between a conducting layer and underlying substrate through the passivating dielectric layer, achieving both good surface passivation and electrical contact with low recombination losses, as required for high efficiency solar cells. The passivating dielectric layer is intentionally modified to allow direct contact, or tunnel barrier contact, with the substrate. Additional P-N junctions, and dopant gradients, are disclosed to further limit losses and increase efficiency.