Shielded electrical contact and doping through a passivating dielectric layer in a high-efficiency crystalline solar cell, including structure and methods of manufacture
US9966481B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 9, 2016 |
| Grant date | May 8, 2018 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 9, 2036 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02P70/50
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.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.