System and method for manufacturing photovoltaic structures with a metal seed layer
First Claim
1. A method for fabricating a photovoltaic structure, the method comprising:
- obtaining a Si substrate;
forming an emitter layer on a first surface of the Si substrate;
depositing, using a physical vapor deposition machine, a transparent conductive oxide layer on the emitter layer;
depositing, without removing the Si substrate from the physical vapor deposition machine and without first annealing the deposited transparent conductive oxide layer, a metallic layer on the transparent conductive oxide layer; and
annealing the transparent conductive oxide layer after depositing the metallic layer.
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Abstract
One embodiment of the present invention can provide a system for fabrication of a photovoltaic structure. The system can include a physical vapor deposition tool configured to sequentially deposit a transparent conductive oxide layer and a metallic layer on an emitter layer formed in a first surface of a Si substrate, without requiring the Si substrate to be removed from the physical vapor deposition tool after depositing the transparent conductive oxide layer. The system can further include an electroplating tool configured to plate a metallic grid on the metallic layer and a thermal annealing tool configured to anneal the transparent conductive oxide layer.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for fabricating a photovoltaic structure, the method comprising:
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obtaining a Si substrate; forming an emitter layer on a first surface of the Si substrate; depositing, using a physical vapor deposition machine, a transparent conductive oxide layer on the emitter layer; depositing, without removing the Si substrate from the physical vapor deposition machine and without first annealing the deposited transparent conductive oxide layer, a metallic layer on the transparent conductive oxide layer; and annealing the transparent conductive oxide layer after depositing the metallic layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system for fabrication of a photovoltaic structure, the system comprising:
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a physical vapor deposition tool configured to sequentially deposit a transparent conductive oxide layer and a metallic layer on an emitter layer formed on a first surface of a Si substrate, without requiring the Si substrate to be removed from the physical vapor deposition tool after depositing the transparent conductive oxide layer and without first annealing the deposited transparent conductive oxide layer; an electroplating tool configured to plate a metallic grid on the metallic layer; and a thermal annealing tool configured to anneal the transparent conductive oxide layer. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification