Solar cell

• US 4,886,555 A
• Filed: 03/31/1988
• Issued: 12/12/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NUKEM GmbH (Cameco Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NUKEM GmbH (Cameco Corporation)
• Inventors: Hackstein, Karl-Gerhard, Hezel, Rudolf
• Primary Examiner(s): Weisstuch, Aaron
• Application Number:
  US07/176,286
• Time in Patent Office: 621 Days
• Field of Search: 136/255, 136/256, 357/30 D, 357/30 J, 357/30 Q
• US Class Current: 136/255
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02167 for solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/022433 Particular geometry of the grid contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/035281 Shape of the body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/062 the potential barriers being only of the metal-insulator-semiconductor type
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/547 Monocrystalline silicon PV cells

Abstract

Proposed is a silicon solar cell with a substrate body on one side of which an electrical field is generated by an MIS contact to cause separation of charge carriers generated by radiation energy. The minority charge carriers are drawn off in the metal of the MIS contact, whereas the majority charge carriers are conducted away by ohmic contacts arranged on the opposite side. The ohmic contacts are located on elevated areas relative to the substrate surface. Moreover, the side of the substrate body bearing the ohmic contacts is completely covered with at least one passivation layer.

Claims

1. A solar cell comprising:

a semiconductive substrate having first and second opposed major surfaces in which minority and majority charge carriers are generated by radiation energy, said charge carriers being separable and so dischargeable by an electrical field,

ohmic contacts arranged at intervals upon said first semiconductive substrate surface, said contacts being interlinked with one another, and

a passivation layer arranged at least between said ohmic contacts, and wherein

the electrical field separating the minority and majority charge carriers exists in the vicinity of said second semiconductive substrate surface positioned opposite said first semiconductive surface carrying said ohmic contacts, so that the majority charge carriers diffuse to said ohmic contacts which collect said charge carriers,

said ohmic contacts are arranged in first areas on said first semiconductive substrate surface, said first areas being elevated with respect to second areas which are located between said ohmic contacts,

said ohmic contacts are in direct contact with said semiconductive substrate without shielding means, provided by doping said semiconductor substrate in its first surface region, for shielding against the minority charge carriers by a potential barrier,

said second areas do not have a potential barrier against minority charge carriers provided by doping of said semiconductor substrate in its first surface region, and

said ohmic contacts are covered by the passivation layer.

2. A solar cell according to claim 1, wherein the electrical field separating the minority and majority charge carriers is generated by MIS contacts formed on said second substrate surface, and wherein said MIS contacts are covered with an insulating lamina containing electrical charges.

3. A solar cell according to claim 1, wherein the distance separating said ohmic contacts and said second surface of said semiconductive substrate is greater than the diffusion length of the minority charge carriers.

4. A solar cell according to claim 1, wherein the distance separating the outer surface of said second areas and said second surface of said semiconductive substrate is smaller than the diffusion length of the minority charge carriers.

5. A solar cell according to claim 1, wherein said first areas essentially determine the mechanical stability of said semiconductive substrate and have a trapezoidal, a rectangular or a curved cross-section.

6. A solar cell according to claim 1, wherein said first areas have peaks with said ohmic contacts arranged on said peaks, and said first areas exhibit a comb, grid or ring structure when viewed in plan.

7. A solar cell according to claim 6, wherein said ring structure is formed by concentrically arranged rings with radially running paths.

8. A solar cell according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductive substrate is a single-crystalline (100)- or (110)-orientated silicon or polycrystalline silicon or compound semiconductor.

9. A solar cell according to claim 1, wherein said first and/or second areas are textured at least outside the regions of said ohmic contacts.

10. A solar cell according to claim 1, wherein the distance between said ohmic contacts is greater than the distance between said second areas and said second surface of said semiconductive substrate.

11. A solar cell according to claim 10, wherein said ohmic contacts, when viewed in plan, exhibit a finger-like structure, whereby the spacing between the fingers lies between 1 mm and 5 mm and the width of said fingers is from 50 μ

m to 300 μ

m.

12. A solar cell according to claim 1 in the form of a silicon nitride inversion layer solar cell with a plurality of spaced apart MIS contacts lying opposite said ohmic contacts, and wherein the spacing between adjacent MIS contacts is as little as 1/50 of that between said ohmic contacts.

13. A solar cell according to claim 12, wherein the distance separating said MIS contacts is between 50 μ

m and 1 mm, and that between said ohmic contacts is between 1 mm and 5 mm.

14. A solar cell comprising:

a semiconductive substrate having first and second opposed major surfaces in which minority and majority charge carriers are generated by radiation energy, said charge carriers being separable and so dischargeable by an electrical field,

ohmic contacts arranged at intervals upon said first semiconductive substrate surface, said contacts being interlinked with one another, and

a passivation layer arranged at least between said ohmic contacts, and wherein

the electrical field separating the minority and majority charge carriers exists in the vicinity of said second semiconductive substrate surface positioned opposite said first semiconductive surface carrying said ohmic contacts so that the majority charge carriers diffuse to said ohmic contacts which collect said charge carriers, and

said ohmic contacts are arranged in first areas on said first semiconductive substrate surface, said first areas being elevated with respect to second areas which are located between said ohmic contacts.

15. A solar cell according to claim 14, wherein said passivation layer covers said ohmic contacts.

16. A solar cell according to claim 14, wherein the electrical field separating the minority and majority charge carriers is generated by MIS contacts formed on said second substrate surface, and wherein said MIS contacts are covered with an insulating lamina containing electrical charges.

17. A solar cell according to claim 14, wherein the distance separating said ohmic contacts and said second surface of said semiconductive substrate is greater than the diffusion length of the minority charge carriers.

18. A solar cell according to claim 14, wherein the distance separating the outer surface of said second areas and said second surface of said semiconductive substrate is smaller than the diffusion length of the minority charge carriers.

19. A solar cell according to claim 14, wherein said first areas essentially determine the mechanical stability of said semiconductive substrate and have a trapezoidal, a rectangular or a curved cross-section.

20. A solar cell according to claim 14, wherein said first areas have peaks with said ohmic contacts arranged on said peaks, and said first areas exhibit a comb, grid or ring structure when viewed in plan.

21. A solar cell according to claim 20, wherein said ring structure is formed by concentrically arranged rings with radially running paths.

22. A solar cell according to claim 14, wherein said semiconductive substrate is a single-crystalline (100)- or (110)-oriented silicon or polycrystalline silicon or compound semiconductor.

23. A solar cell according to claim 14, wherein said first and/or second areas are textured at least outside the regions of said ohmic contacts.

24. A solar cell according to claim 14, wherein the distance between said ohmic contacts is greater than the distance between said second areas and said second surface of said semiconductive substrate.

25. A solar cell according to claim 24, wherein said ohmic contacts, when viewed in plan, exhibit a finger-like structure, whereby the spacing between the fingers lies between 1 mm and 5 mm and the width of said figures is from 50 μ

m to 300 μ

m.

26. A solar cell according to claim 14, in the form a silicon nitride inversion layer solar cell with a plurality of spaced apart MIS contacts, lying opposite said ohmic contacts, and wherein the spacing between adjacent MIS contacts is as little as 1/50 of that between said ohmic contacts.

27. A solar cell according to claim 26, wherein the distance separating said MIS contacts is between 50 μ

m and 1 mm, and that between said ohmic contacts is between 1 mm and 5 mm.