SURFACE PASSIVATION OF HIGH-EFFICIENCY CRYSTALLINE SILICON SOLAR CELLS

• US 20150101662A1
• Filed: 07/07/2014
• Published: 04/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ob Realty, LLC
• Original Assignee: Solexel, Inc.
• Inventors: Seutter, Sean M., Moslehi, Mehrdad M.
• Application Number:
  US14/325,356
• Publication Number:
  US 20150101662A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/256
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02167 for solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/1864 Annealing
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/1868 Passivation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

Stable surface passivation on a crystalline silicon substrate is provided by forming a more heavily doped region as a front surface field and/or a doped dielectric layer under a passivation layer on the silicon substrate surface. A passivation layer is deposited on the front surface field and/or doped dielectric layer.

Claims

1. A passivation structure on a surface of a crystalline silicon substrate, comprising:

a doped dielectric layer having a thickness less than approximately ten nanometers on said surface of said crystalline silicon substrate; and

a plasma-deposited hydrogen-containing silicon nitride layer on said doped dielectric layer.

2. The passivation structure of claim 1, wherein said crystalline silicon substrate comprises monocrystalline silicon.

3. The passivation structure of claim 1, wherein said crystalline silicon substrate comprises multi-crystalline silicon.

4. The passivation structure of claim 1, wherein said crystalline silicon substrate has n-type doping.

5. The passivation structure of claim 1, wherein said doped dielectric layer is doped amorphous silicon.

6. The passivation structure of claim 1, wherein said doped dielectric layer is doped micro-crystalline silicon.

7. The passivation structure of claim 1, wherein said doped dielectric layer is doped amorphous silicon oxide.

8. The passivation structure of claim 1, wherein said doped dielectric layer is doped amorphous silicon carbide.

9. The passivation structure of claim 1, wherein said doped dielectric layer is doped amorphous silicon oxycarbide.

10. The passivation structure of claim 1, wherein said doped dielectric layer is fluorine doped.

11. The passivation structure of claim 1, wherein said doped dielectric layer is phosphorus doped.

12. The passivation structure of claim 1, wherein said doped dielectric layer is fluorine and phosphorus doped.

13. The passivation structure of claim 1, wherein said doped dielectric layer is aluminum oxide. doped phosphorous and/or fluorine.

14. The passivation structure of claim 13, wherein said doped dielectric layer is aluminum oxide doped with phosphorous.

15. The passivation structure of claim 14, wherein said doped dielectric layer is aluminum oxide doped with phosphorous and fluorine.

16. The passivation structure of claim 13, wherein said doped dielectric layer is aluminum oxide doped with fluorin.

17. A passivation structure on a surface of a crystalline silicon substrate, comprising:

a doped dielectric layer serving as a surface passivation layer and also as a dopant source forming a doped front surface field with a thickness less than about one micrometer within said surface of said crystalline silicon substrate; and

a plasma-deposited hydrogen-containing silicon nitride layer on said doped dielectric layer.

18. The passivation structure of claim 17, wherein said doped dielectric layer is amorphous silicon.

19. The passivation structure of claim 17, wherein said doped dielectric layer is micro-crystalline silicon.

20. The passivation structure of claim 17, wherein said doped dielectric layer is phosphorus doped.

21. The passivation structure of claim 17, wherein said crystalline silicon substrate comprises monocrystalline silicon.

22. The passivation structure of claim 17, wherein said crystalline silicon substrate comprises multi-crystalline silicon.

23. The passivation structure of claim 17, wherein said doped dielectric layer is doped amorphous silicon oxide.

24. The passivation structure of claim 17, wherein said doped dielectric layer is doped amorphous silicon carbide.

25. The passivation structure of claim 17, wherein said doped dielectric layer is doped amorphous silicon oxycarbide.

26. The passivation structure of claim 17, wherein said crystalline silicon substrate has n-type doping.

27. The passivation structure of claim 17, wherein said doped dielectric layer is fluorine and phosphorus doped.

28. A passivation structure on a surface of a silicon substrate, comprising:

a first doped dielectric layer forming a front surface field and having a thickness less than one micrometer within said surface of said silicon substrate;

a second doped dielectric layer having a thickness less than ten nanometers on said surface of said silicon substrate; and

a silicon nitride layer on said doped dielectric layer.

29. The passivation structure of claim 28, wherein said doped first doped dielectric layer is phosphine and said second doped dielectric layer is fluorine.

30. A crystalline silicon photovoltaic solar cell structure, comprising:

a surface passivation structure on a surface of an n-type crystalline silicon substrate

a doped dielectric layer comprising an n-type dopant on said surface of said crystalline silicon substrate; and

a plasma-deposited hydrogen-containing silicon nitride layer on said doped dielectric layer.

31. A crystalline silicon photovoltaic solar cell structure, comprising:

a surface passivation structure on a surface of an n-type crystalline silicon substrate

a dielectric layer comprising fluorine on said surface of said crystalline silicon substrate; and

a plasma-deposited hydrogen-containing silicon nitride layer on said doped dielectric layer.