Crystalline silicon-based solar cell, crystalline-silicon solar cell module, and manufacturing methods therefor

• US 10,217,887 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2015
• Issued: 02/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kaneka Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kaneka Corporation
• Inventors: Uto, Toshihiko, Adachi, Daisuke, Uzu, Hisashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Fernandes, Errol
• Application Number:
  US15/308,030
• Publication Number:
  US 20170084772A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,419 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02167 for solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/022425 for solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/022466 made of transparent conductive layers, e.g. TCO, ITO layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/03529 Shape of the potential jump barrier or surface barrier
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0504 specially adapted for series or parallel connection of solar cells in a module
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0747 comprising a heterojunction of crystalline and amorphous materials, e.g. heterojunction with intrinsic thin layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/1804 comprising only elements of Group IV of the Periodic Table
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/547 Monocrystalline silicon PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

The crystalline silicon-based solar cell includes a first intrinsic silicon-based thin-film, a p-type silicon-based thin-film, a first transparent electrode layer, and a patterned collecting electrode on a first principal surface of an n-type crystalline silicon substrate; and a second intrinsic silicon-based thin-film, an n-type silicon-based thin-film, a second transparent electrode layer, and a plated metal electrode on a second principal surface of the n-type crystalline-silicon substrate. On a peripheral edge of the first principal surface, an insulating region freed of a short-circuit between the first transparent electrode layer and the second transparent electrode layer is provided. The plated metal electrode is formed on an entire region of the second transparent electrode layer.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a crystalline silicon-based solar cell, the crystalline silicon-based solar cell comprising:

an n-type crystalline silicon substrate having a first principal surface, a second principal surface and a side surface;

a first intrinsic silicon-based thin-film, a p-type silicon-based thin-film, a first transparent electrode layer and a patterned collecting electrode which are sequentially formed on the first principal surface of the n-type crystalline silicon substrate; and

a second intrinsic silicon-based thin-film, an n-type silicon-based thin-film, a second transparent electrode layer and a plated metal electrode which are sequentially formed on the second principal surface of the n-type crystalline silicon substrate,

the method comprising;

a first intrinsic silicon-based thin-film forming step of depositing the first intrinsic silicon-based thin-film on an entire region of the first principal surface and the side surface of the n-type crystalline silicon substrate;

a p-type silicon-based thin-film forming step of depositing the p-type silicon-based thin-film on the first intrinsic silicon-based thin-film;

a first transparent electrode layer forming step of depositing the first transparent electrode layer on the entire region of the first principal surface except for a peripheral edge thereof;

a second intrinsic silicon-based thin-film forming step of depositing the second intrinsic silicon-based thin-film on an entire region of the second principal surface and the side surface of the n-type crystalline silicon substrate;

an n-type silicon-based thin-film forming step of depositing the n-type silicon-based thin-film on the second intrinsic silicon-based thin-film; and

a second transparent electrode layer forming step of depositing the second transparent electrode layer on the n-type silicon-based thin-film, wherein

a plated metal electrode forming step is further carried out after each of the above steps is carried out and in a state in which an insulating region is provided on the peripheral edge of the first principal surface, the insulating region being freed either of the first transparent electrode layer and the second transparent electrode layer, wherein

in the plated metal electrode forming step, the plated metal electrode is formed on an entire surface of the second transparent electrode layer by an electroplating method,

in the first transparent electrode layer forming step, deposition is performed under a state in which the peripheral edge of the first principal surface is covered with a mask, thereby the first transparent electrode layer is formed on the entire region of the first principal surface except for the peripheral edge thereof, and

in the second transparent electrode layer forming step, deposition is performed without using the mask, thereby the second transparent electrode layer is formed on the entire region of the second principal surface and the side surface.

2. The method for manufacturing the crystalline silicon-based solar cell according to claim 1, wherein

in the p-type silicon-based thin-film forming step, deposition is performed without using the mask, thereby the p-type silicon-based thin-film is formed on an entire first principal surface and the side surface, and

in the n-type silicon-based thin-film forming step, deposition is performed without using the mask, thereby the n-type silicon-based thin-film is formed on the entire second principal surface and the side surface.

3. The method for manufacturing the crystalline silicon-based solar cell according to claim 2, wherein the p-type silicon-based thin-film forming step is carried out before the n-type silicon-based thin-film forming step.

4. The method for manufacturing the crystalline silicon-based solar cell according to claim 1, wherein

after the second transparent electrode layer forming step, an underlying metal layer is formed on the entire surface of the second transparent electrode layer before the plated metal electrode forming step, and

the plated metal electrode is formed on the underlying metal layer in the plated metal electrode forming step.