Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090280597 | Surface cleaning and texturing process for crystalline solar cells - Methods for surface texturing a crystalline silicon substrate are provided. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a crystalline silicon substrate, wetting the substrate with an alkaline solution comprising a wetting agent, and forming a textured surface with a structure having a depth about 1 μm to about 10 μm on the substrate. In another embodiment, a method of performing a substrate texture process includes providing crystalline silicon substrate, pre-cleaning the substrate in a HF aqueous solution, wetting the substrate with a KOH aqueous solution comprising polyethylene glycol (PEG) compound, and forming a textured surface with a structure having a depth about 3 μm to about 8 μm on the substrate. | 11-12-2009 |
20110272625 | Surface cleaning and texturing process for crystalline solar cells - Methods for surface texturing a crystalline silicon substrate are provided. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a crystalline silicon substrate, wetting the substrate with an alkaline solution comprising a wetting agent, and forming a textured surface with a structure having a depth about 1 μm to about 10 μm on the substrate. In another embodiment, a method of performing a substrate texture process includes providing crystalline silicon substrate, pre-cleaning the substrate in a HF aqueous solution, wetting the substrate with a KOH aqueous solution comprising polyethylene glycol (PEG) compound, and forming a textured surface with a structure having a depth about 3 μm to about 8 μm on the substrate. | 11-10-2011 |
20120315756 | PROCESS FOR ELECTROLESS COPPER DEPOSITION ON A RUTHENIUM SEED - Embodiments of the invention provide methods for forming conductive materials within contact features on a substrate by depositing a seed layer within a feature and subsequently filling the feature with a copper-containing material during an electroless deposition process. In one example, a copper electroless deposition solution contains levelers to form convexed or concaved copper surfaces. In another example, a seed layer is selectively deposited on the bottom surface of the aperture while leaving the sidewalls substantially free of the seed material during a collimated PVD process. In another example, the seed layer is conformably deposited by a PVD process and subsequently, a portion of the seed layer and the underlayer are plasma etched to expose an underlying contact surface. In another example, a ruthenium seed layer is formed on an exposed contact surface by an ALD process utilizing the chemical precursor ruthenium tetroxide. | 12-13-2012 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090139568 | Crystalline Solar Cell Metallization Methods - Embodiments of the invention contemplate formation of a low cost solar cell using novel methods and apparatus to form a metal contact structure. The method generally uses a conductive contact layer that enables formation of a good electrical contact to the solar cell device. In one case, the contact layer is a nickel containing layer. Various deposition techniques may be used to form the metal contact structure. | 06-04-2009 |
20090145760 | ELECTROPHORETIC SOLAR CELL METALLIZATION PROCESS AND APPARATUS - Embodiments of the invention provide a novel apparatus and methods for forming a contact structure having metal lines formed using an electrophoretic deposition process. A substrate having a conductive or semiconductive layer is covered with an insulating layer and patterned to expose the conductive or semiconductive layer. The substrate is exposed to a processing medium comprising charged particles immersed in a dielectric fluid. An electric field is optionally applied. The charged particles deposit onto the exposed portions of the substrate and are then solidified in a reflow process. | 06-11-2009 |
20090178927 | METHODS AND COMPOSITIONS FOR ELECTROPHORETIC METALLIZATION DEPOSITION - Embodiments of the invention generally provide methods and compositions that are used during electrophoretic deposition (EPD) processes. In one embodiment, a method for forming a metallization material during an EPD process is provided which includes positioning a substrate containing apertures disposed thereon, exposing the substrate to a flux agent to form a flux coating within the apertures, exposing the flux coating to an EPD mixture to form a particulate layer therein, and exposing the substrate to a reflow process to form a metallization layer within the apertures. Optionally, the particulate layer may be exposed to the flux agent prior to the reflow process. The EPD mixture generally contains a dielectric hydrocarbon fluid, metallic particles, and a liquid crystal material (LCM), such as a cholesteryl compound. In some embodiments, an abietic acid compound may be used as the flux agent, or alternatively, as the LCM. | 07-16-2009 |
20100015751 | HYBRID HETEROJUNCTION SOLAR CELL FABRICATION USING A METAL LAYER MASK - Embodiments of the invention contemplate the formation of a high efficiency solar cell using a novel processing sequence to form a solar cell device. In one embodiment, the methods include the use of various etching and patterning processes that are used to define active regions of the device and regions where the device and/or contact structure is to be located on a surface of a solar cell substrate. The method generally includes the steps of forming one or more layers on a backside of a solar cell substrate to prevent attack of the backside surface of the substrate, and provide a stable supporting surface, when the front side regions of a solar cell are formed. In one embodiment, the one or more layers are a metalized backside contact structure that is formed on the backside of the solar cell substrate. In another embodiment, the one or more layers are a chemical resistant dielectric layer that is formed over the backside of the solar cell substrate. | 01-21-2010 |
20100015756 | HYBRID HETEROJUNCTION SOLAR CELL FABRICATION USING A DOPING LAYER MASK - Embodiments of the invention contemplate the formation of a high efficiency solar cell using a novel processing sequence to form a solar cell device. In one embodiment, the methods include forming a doping layer on a back surface of a substrate, heating the doping layer and substrate to cause the doping layer diffuse into the back surface of the substrate, texturing a front surface of the substrate after heating the doping layer and the substrate, forming a dielectric layer on the back surface of the substrate, removing portions of the dielectric layer from the back surface to from a plurality of exposed regions of the substrate, and depositing a metal layer over the back surface of the substrate, wherein the metal layer is in electrical communication with at least one of the plurality of exposed regions on the substrate, and at least one of the exposed regions has dopant atoms provided from the doping layer. | 01-21-2010 |
20100051085 | BACK CONTACT SOLAR CELL MODULES - Embodiments of the invention contemplate the formation of a high efficiency solar cell using a novel processing sequence to form a solar cell device. Methods of forming the high efficiency solar cell may include the use of a prefabricated back plane that is bonded to the metalized solar cell device to form an interconnected solar cell module. Solar cells most likely to benefit from the invention including those having active regions comprising single or multicrystalline silicon with both positive and negative contacts on the rear side of the cell. | 03-04-2010 |
20100055822 | BACK CONTACT SOLAR CELLS USING PRINTED DIELECTRIC BARRIER - Embodiments of the invention contemplate the formation of a high efficiency solar cell using novel methods to form the active doped region(s) and the metal contact structure of the solar cell device. In one embodiment, the methods include the steps of depositing a dielectric material that is used to define the boundaries of the active regions and/or contact structure of a solar cell device. Various techniques may be used to form the active regions of the solar cell and the metal contact structure. | 03-04-2010 |
20110183458 | FORMING SOLAR CELLS USING A PATTERNED DEPOSITION PROCESS - Embodiments of the invention contemplate the formation of a high efficiency solar cell using novel methods to form the active doped region(s) and the metal contact structure of the solar cell device. In one embodiment, the methods include the steps of depositing a dielectric material that is used to define the boundaries of the active regions and/or contact structure of a solar cell device. Various techniques may be used to form the active regions of the solar cell and the metal contact structure. | 07-28-2011 |
20130102109 | METHOD AND APPARATUS OF REMOVING A PASSIVATION FILM AND IMPROVING CONTACT RESISTANCE IN REAR POINT CONTACT SOLAR CELLS - Embodiments of the present invention generally provide improved processes and apparatus for removing passivation layers from a surface of photovoltaic cells and improving contact resistance in rear point contact photovoltaic cells. In one embodiment, a method of processing a solar cell substrate includes providing a substrate having a passivation layer deposited on a first surface of the substrate. The passivation layer is a layer stack comprising an aluminum oxide and a silicon nitride. The method also includes exposing the first surface of the substrate to an etchant, and heating the etchant to dissolve the aluminum oxide of the passivation layer on the first surface. The method may further include forming a metal containing layer on a second surface of the substrate that is opposite to the first surface. | 04-25-2013 |
20130183796 | METHODS OF MANUFACTURING SOLAR CELL DEVICES - Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a process for making solar cells. Particularly, embodiments of the invention provide simultaneously co-firing (e.g., thermally processing) metal layers disposed both on a first and a second surface of a solar cell substrate to complete the metallization process in one step. By doing so, both the metal layers formed on the first and the second surfaces of the solar cell substrate are co-fired (e.g., simultaneously thermally processed), thereby eliminating manufacturing complexity, cycle time and cost to produce the solar cell device. Embodiments of the invention may also provide a method and solar cell structure that requires a reduced amount of a metallization paste on a rear surface of the substrate to form a rear surface contact structure and, thus, reduce the cost of the formed solar cell device. | 07-18-2013 |