Blister-free polycrystalline silicon for solar cells

US9559245B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• SUNPOWER CORPORATION · US
• TOTAL MARKETING SERVICES · FR

Inventors

• Taiqing Qiu · Los Gatos, US
• Gilles Olav Tanguy Sylvain Poulain · Palaiseau, FR
• Périne Jaffrennou · Brussels, BE
• Nada Habka · Bourg-la-Reine, FR
• Sergej Filonovich · Orsay, FR

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 23, 2015
• Grant date: Jan 31, 2017
• Expiry date: Jun 23, 2035

Classification

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

Abstract

Described herein are methods of fabricating solar cells. In an example, a method of fabricating a solar cell includes forming an amorphous dielectric layer on the back surface of a substrate opposite a light-receiving surface of the substrate. The method also includes forming a microcrystalline silicon layer on the amorphous dielectric layer by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). The method also includes forming an amorphous silicon layer on the microcrystalline silicon layer by PECVD. The method also includes annealing the microcrystalline silicon layer and the amorphous silicon layer to form a homogeneous polycrystalline silicon layer from the microcrystalline silicon layer and the amorphous silicon layer. The method also includes forming an emitter region from the homogeneous polycrystalline silicon layer.