Crack-tolerant photovoltaic cell structure and fabrication method
First Claim
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1. A photovoltaic device comprising:
- an absorber layer located over a back contact layer, wherein the absorber layer comprises at least one crack;
a passivation layer located over a top surface of the absorber layer and an entire interior surface of the at least one crack; and
an emitter layer located over a portion of the passivation layer that is located over the top surface of the absorber layer and another portion of the passivation layer that is located in an upper portion of the at least one crack, wherein the emitter layer pinches off the at least one crack such that a void is present between the emitter layer and the passivation layer within the at least one crack, wherein the emitter layer protrudes into the at least one crack.
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Abstract
After forming an absorber layer containing cracks over a back contact layer, a passivation layer is formed over a top surface of the absorber layer and interior surfaces of the cracks. The passivation layer is deposited in a manner such that that the cracks in the absorber layer are fully passivated by the passivation layer. An emitter layer is then formed over the passivation layer to pinch off upper portions of the cracks, leaving voids in lower portions of the cracks.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A photovoltaic device comprising:
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an absorber layer located over a back contact layer, wherein the absorber layer comprises at least one crack; a passivation layer located over a top surface of the absorber layer and an entire interior surface of the at least one crack; and an emitter layer located over a portion of the passivation layer that is located over the top surface of the absorber layer and another portion of the passivation layer that is located in an upper portion of the at least one crack, wherein the emitter layer pinches off the at least one crack such that a void is present between the emitter layer and the passivation layer within the at least one crack, wherein the emitter layer protrudes into the at least one crack. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification