HYBRID HETEROJUNCTION SOLAR CELL FABRICATION USING A DOPING LAYER MASK
First Claim
1. A method of forming a solar cell device, comprising:
- forming a first doping layer on a back surface of a crystalline silicon substrate; and
texturing a front surface of the crystalline silicon substrate, wherein the first doping layer disposed on the back surface is configured to prevent substantial etching of the back surface during the process of texturing the front surface.
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Abstract
Embodiments of the invention contemplate the formation of a high efficiency solar cell using a novel processing sequence to form a solar cell device. In one embodiment, the methods include forming a doping layer on a back surface of a substrate, heating the doping layer and substrate to cause the doping layer diffuse into the back surface of the substrate, texturing a front surface of the substrate after heating the doping layer and the substrate, forming a dielectric layer on the back surface of the substrate, removing portions of the dielectric layer from the back surface to from a plurality of exposed regions of the substrate, and depositing a metal layer over the back surface of the substrate, wherein the metal layer is in electrical communication with at least one of the plurality of exposed regions on the substrate, and at least one of the exposed regions has dopant atoms provided from the doping layer.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method of forming a solar cell device, comprising:
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forming a first doping layer on a back surface of a crystalline silicon substrate; and texturing a front surface of the crystalline silicon substrate, wherein the first doping layer disposed on the back surface is configured to prevent substantial etching of the back surface during the process of texturing the front surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of forming a solar cell device, comprising:
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forming an amorphous silicon layer on a back surface of a crystalline silicon substrate; and texturing a front surface of the crystalline silicon substrate, wherein the amorphous silicon layer disposed on the back surface is configured to prevent substantial etching of the back surface during the process of texturing the front surface. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of forming a solar cell device, comprising:
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forming a doping layer comprising a silicon layer comprising a first type of doping atom on a back surface of a silicon substrate; forming a dielectric layer over the doping layer on the back surface of the silicon substrate; heating the silicon substrate to cause the first type of doping atom diffuse into the silicon substrate; removing portions of the dielectric layer from the back surface to from a plurality of exposed regions of the silicon substrate; and depositing a metal layer over the back surface of the silicon substrate, wherein the metal layer is in electrical communication with at least one of the exposed regions of the silicon substrate. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A system that is adapted to form a solar cell, comprising:
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a first processing module that is adapted to deposit a doping layer on a first surface of a silicon substrate; a second processing module that is adapted to heat the amorphous silicon doping layer and the silicon substrate; a third processing module that is configured to retain a texture etch solution that is used to form a texture a second surface of the silicon substrate that is opposite the first surface, wherein the third processing module is downstream of the first processing module; a fourth processing module that is adapted to deposit a dielectric layer on the first surface of the silicon substrate; a fifth processing module that is adapted to deposit an etchant material over the dielectric layer; a sixth processing module that is adapted to deposit a metal layer on the dielectric layer; and a plurality of automation devices that is adapted to deliver the silicon substrate to the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth processing modules.
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Specification