Method for forming structures in a solar cell
First Claim
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1. A method comprising:
- forming a contact pattern on a surface of a solar cell, the solar cell comprising a textured semiconductor substrate, the forming comprising;
forming at least one film layer over a lower layer of the solar cell, the at least one film layer comprising a material having an ablation threshold;
irradiating a first portion of the at least one film layer with a laser, without irradiating a second portion of the at least one film layer, the laser having an at least partially homogenized beam profile, and the irradiating ablating the entire first portion of the at least one film layer, leaving the second portion of the at least one film layer as the contact pattern, the laser being operated at a fluence near or at the ablation threshold of the material of the at least one film layer; and
wherein during the irradiating, the textured semiconductor substrate further homogenizes the at least partially homogenized beam profile to facilitate operating the laser at the fluence near or at the ablation threshold of the material of the at least one film layer.
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Abstract
A conductive contact pattern is formed on a surface of solar cell by forming a thin conductive layer over at least one lower layer of the solar cell, and ablating a majority of the thin conductive layer using a laser beam, thereby leaving behind the conductive contact pattern. The laser has a top-hat profile, enabling precision while scanning and ablating the thin layer across the surface. Heterocontact patterns are also similarly formed.
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18 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
forming a contact pattern on a surface of a solar cell, the solar cell comprising a textured semiconductor substrate, the forming comprising; forming at least one film layer over a lower layer of the solar cell, the at least one film layer comprising a material having an ablation threshold; irradiating a first portion of the at least one film layer with a laser, without irradiating a second portion of the at least one film layer, the laser having an at least partially homogenized beam profile, and the irradiating ablating the entire first portion of the at least one film layer, leaving the second portion of the at least one film layer as the contact pattern, the laser being operated at a fluence near or at the ablation threshold of the material of the at least one film layer; and wherein during the irradiating, the textured semiconductor substrate further homogenizes the at least partially homogenized beam profile to facilitate operating the laser at the fluence near or at the ablation threshold of the material of the at least one film layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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