Patent application number | Description | Published |
20130081677 | DOPANT INK COMPOSITION AND METHOD OF FABRICATING A SOLAR CELL THERE FROM - Dopant ink compositions and methods of fabricating solar cells there from are described. A dopant ink composition may include a cross-linkable matrix precursor, a bound dopant species, and a solvent. A method of fabricating a solar cell may include delivering a dopant ink composition to a region above a substrate. The dopant ink composition includes a cross-linkable matrix precursor, a bound dopant species, and a solvent. The method also includes baking the dopant ink composition to remove a substantial portion of the solvent of the dopant ink composition, curing the baked dopant ink composition to cross-link a substantial portion of the cross-linkable matrix precursor of the dopant ink composition, and driving dopants from the cured dopant ink composition toward the substrate. | 04-04-2013 |
20130081687 | METHOD FOR FORMING DIFFUSION REGIONS IN A SILICON SUBSTRATE - A method of manufacturing solar cells is disclosed. The method comprises depositing an etch-resistant dopant material on a silicon substrate, the etch-resistant dopant material comprising a dopant source, forming a cross-linked matrix in the etch-resistant dopant material using a non-thermal cure of the etch-resistant dopant material, and heating the silicon substrate and the etch-resistant dopant material to a temperature sufficient to cause the dopant source to diffuse into the silicon substrate. | 04-04-2013 |
20130160833 | LASER CONTACT PROCESSES, LASER SYSTEM, AND SOLAR CELL STRUCTURES FOR FABRICATING SOLAR CELLS WITH SILICON NANOPARTICLES - A laser contact process is employed to form contact holes to emitters of a solar cell. Doped silicon nanoparticles are formed over a substrate of the solar cell. The surface of individual or clusters of silicon nanoparticles is coated with a nanoparticle passivation film. Contact holes to emitters of the solar cell are formed by impinging a laser beam on the passivated silicon nanoparticles. For example, the laser contact process may be a laser ablation process. In that case, the emitters may be formed by diffusing dopants from the silicon nanoparticles prior to forming the contact holes to the emitters. As another example, the laser contact process may be a laser melting process whereby portions of the silicon nanoparticles are melted to form the emitters and contact holes to the emitters. | 06-27-2013 |
20140048133 | METHOD FOR FORMING DIFFUSION REGIONS IN A SILICON SUBSTRATE - A method of manufacturing solar cells is disclosed. The method comprises depositing an etch-resistant dopant material on a silicon substrate, the etch-resistant dopant material comprising a dopant source, forming a cross-linked matrix in the etch-resistant dopant material using a non-thermal cure of the etch-resistant dopant material, and heating the silicon substrate and the etch-resistant dopant material to a temperature sufficient to cause the dopant source to diffuse into the silicon substrate. | 02-20-2014 |
20140166093 | SOLAR CELL EMITTER REGION FABRICATION USING N-TYPE DOPED SILICON NANO-PARTICLES - Methods of fabricating solar cell emitter regions using N-type doped silicon nano-particles and the resulting solar cells are described. In an example, a method of fabricating an emitter region of a solar cell includes forming a plurality of regions of N-type doped silicon nano-particles on a first surface of a substrate of the solar cell. A P-type dopant-containing layer is formed on the plurality of regions of N-type doped silicon nano-particles and on the first surface of the substrate between the regions of N-type doped silicon nano-particles. At least a portion of the P-type dopant-containing layer is mixed with at least a portion of each of the plurality of regions of N-type doped silicon nano-particles. | 06-19-2014 |
20140166094 | SOLAR CELL EMITTER REGION FABRICATION USING ETCH RESISTANT FILM - Methods of fabricating solar cell emitter regions using etch resistant films and the resulting solar cells are described. In an example, a method of fabricating an emitter region of a solar cell includes forming a plurality of regions of N-type doped silicon nano-particles on a first surface of a substrate of the solar cell. A P-type dopant-containing layer is formed on the plurality of regions of N-type doped silicon nano-particles and on the first surface of the substrate between the regions of N-type doped silicon nano-particles. A capping layer is formed on the P-type dopant-containing layer. An etch resistant layer is formed on the capping layer. A second surface of the substrate, opposite the first surface, is etched to texturize the second surface of the substrate. The etch resistant layer protects the capping layer and the P-type dopant-containing layer during the etching. | 06-19-2014 |
20140166095 | HYBRID EMITTER ALL BACK CONTACT SOLAR CELL - An all back contact solar cell has a hybrid emitter design. The solar cell has a thin dielectric layer formed on a backside surface of a single crystalline silicon substrate. One emitter of the solar cell is made of doped polycrystalline silicon that is formed on the thin dielectric layer. The other emitter of the solar cell is formed in the single crystalline silicon substrate and is made of doped single crystalline silicon. The solar cell includes contact holes that allow metal contacts to connect to corresponding emitters. | 06-19-2014 |
20140170800 | SOLAR CELL EMITTER REGION FABRICATION USING SILICON NANO-PARTICLES - Methods of fabricating solar cell emitter regions using silicon nano-particles and the resulting solar cells are described. In an example, a method of fabricating an emitter region of a solar cell includes forming a region of doped silicon nano-particles above a dielectric layer disposed above a surface of a substrate of the solar cell. A layer of silicon is formed on the region of doped silicon nano-particles. At least a portion of the layer of silicon is mixed with at least a portion of the region of doped silicon nano-particles to form a doped polycrystalline silicon layer disposed on the dielectric layer. | 06-19-2014 |
20140273331 | METHODS FOR WET CHEMISTRY POLISHING FOR IMPROVED LOW VISCOSITY PRINTING IN SOLAR CELL FABRICATION - A method of fabricating a solar cell is disclosed. The method includes forming a polished surface on a silicon substrate and forming a first flowable matrix in an interdigitated pattern on the polished surface, where the polished surface allows the first flowable matrix to form an interdigitated pattern comprising features of uniform thickness and width. In an embodiment, the method includes forming the silicon substrate using a method such as, but not limited to, of diamond wire or slurry wafering processes. In another embodiment, the method includes forming the polished surface on the silicon substrate using a chemical etchant such as, but not limited to, sulfuric acid (H | 09-18-2014 |
20140295609 | SOLAR CELL EMITTER REGION FABRICATION USING SILICON NANO-PARTICLES - Methods of fabricating solar cell emitter regions using silicon nano-particles and the resulting solar cells are described. In an example, a method of fabricating an emitter region of a solar cell includes forming a region of doped silicon nano-particles above a dielectric layer disposed above a surface of a substrate of the solar cell. A layer of silicon is formed on the region of doped silicon nano-particles. At least a portion of the layer of silicon is mixed with at least a portion of the region of doped silicon nano-particles to form a doped polycrystalline silicon layer disposed on the dielectric layer. | 10-02-2014 |
20140352781 | LASER CONTACT PROCESSES, LASER SYSTEM, AND SOLAR CELL STRUCTURES FOR FABRICATING SOLAR CELLS WITH SILICON NANOPARTICLES - A laser contact process is employed to form contact holes to emitters of a solar cell. Doped silicon nanoparticles are formed over a substrate of the solar cell. The surface of individual or clusters of silicon nanoparticles is coated with a nanoparticle passivation film. Contact holes to emitters of the solar cell are formed by impinging a laser beam on the passivated silicon nanoparticles. For example, the laser contact process may be a laser ablation process. In that case, the emitters may be formed by diffusing dopants from the silicon nanoparticles prior to forming the contact holes to the emitters. As another example, the laser contact process may be a laser melting process whereby portions of the silicon nanoparticles are melted to form the emitters and contact holes to the emitters. | 12-04-2014 |