TECHNIQUE FOR MANUFACTURING A SOLAR CELL

• US 20100124799A1
• Filed: 10/19/2009
• Published: 05/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates Incorporated (Applied Materials Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates Incorporated (Applied Materials Incorporated)
• Inventors: BLAKE, Julian G., Daniels, Kevin M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,816,239 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/57
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/31711 using mask
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3171 for ion implantation plasma immersion ion implantation H01J37/32412
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/266 using masks H01L21/26586 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/18 Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of these devices or of parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

Techniques for manufacturing solar cells are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the technique may comprise disposing a mask upstream of the solar cell, the mask comprising a plurality of filaments spaced apart from one another to define at least one aperture; directing a ribbon ion beam of desired species toward the solar cell to ion implant a portion of the solar cell defined by the at least one aperture of the mask; and orienting the ribbon ion beam such that longer cross-section dimension of the ribbon beam is perpendicular to the aperture in one plane.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing solar cell, the method comprising:

disposing a mask upstream of the solar cell, the mask comprising a plurality of filaments spaced apart from one another to define at least one aperture;

directing a ribbon ion beam of desired species toward the solar cell to ion implant a portion of the solar cell defined by the at least one aperture of the mask; and

orienting the ribbon ion beam such that longer cross-section dimension of the ribbon beam is perpendicular to the aperture in one plane.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a gap between the mask and the solar cell, the gap having a first predetermined distance.

3. The method according to claim 2, the method further comprising:

ion implanting the solar cell defined by the at least one aperture of the mask without implanting another portion of the solar cell under the plurality of filaments.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

providing a ground voltage to the filament of the mask.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the ions contains at least one of boron (B), aluminum (Al), gallium (Ga), indium (In), thallium (Tl), carbon (C), silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), tin (Sn), lead (Pb), nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), arsenic (As), antimony (Sb), bismuth (Bi), and tellurium (Te).

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the mask further comprises a first and second filament supports, and wherein each of the filaments is a wire held in tension by the first and second filament supports.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the wire is a metallic wire comprising at least one of gold (Au), silver (Ag), platinum (Pt), iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), zinc (Zn), silicon (Sn), tin (Sn), tungsten (W), and lead (Pb), and carbon fiber.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the wire comprises at least one of graphite, quartz, SiC, and SiN.

9. An ion implanter for manufacturing a solar cell, the ion implanter comprising:

an ion source for generating ions;

a substrate support for supporting the solar cell;

at least one beam-line component for manipulating ions into a ribbon ion beam and directing the ribbon ion beam toward the solar cell; and

a mask upstream of the solar cell, the mask comprising first and second filament supports, and a plurality of filaments spaced apart from one another to define at least one aperture along the filaments, wherein the filaments are held in tension by the first and second filament supports.

10. The ion implanter according to claim 9, wherein each filament comprises a wire.

11. The ion implanter according to claim 9, wherein the filaments comprise at least one of gold (Au), silver (Ag), platinum (Pt), iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), zinc (Zn), silicon (Sn), tin (Sn), tungsten (W), lead (Pb), and carbon fiber.

12. The ion implanter according to claim 9, wherein the filaments comprise dielectric material at least one of quartz, SiC, and SiN.

13. A mask for manufacturing a solar cell, the mask comprising:

first and second filament supports spaced apart from one another by a first predetermined distance; and

a plurality of filaments spaced apart from one another by a second predetermined distance to define at least one aperture along the filaments, wherein the filaments are held in tension by the first and second filament supports.

14. The mask according to claim 13, wherein each filament comprises a wire.

15. The mask according to claim 13, wherein the filaments comprise at least one of gold (Au), silver (Ag), platinum (Pt), iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), zinc (Zn), silicon (Sn), tin (Sn), tungsten (W), lead (Pb), and carbon fiber.

16. The mask according to claim 13, wherein the filaments comprises metallic wire.

17. The mask according to claim 13, wherein the filaments comprise at least one of quartz, SiC, and SiN.