BACK JUNCTION SOLAR CELL WITH SELECTIVE FRONT SURFACE FIELD

摘要

SOLAR CELLS (5) AND METHODS FOR THEIR MANUFACTURE ARE DISCLOSED. AN EXAMPLE METHOD MAY INCLUDE FABRICATING AN N-TYPE SILICON SUBSTRATE (10) AND INTRODUCING N-TYPE DOPANT TO ONE OR MORE FIRST AND SECOND REGIONS OF THE SUBSTRATE SO THAT THE SECOND REGION (15) IS MORE HEAVILY DOPED THAN THE FIRST REGION (20). THE SUBSTRATE MAY BE SUBJECTED TO A SINGLE HIGH-TEMPERATURE ANNEAL CYCLE TO FORM A SELECTIVE FRONT SURFACE FIELD LAYER. OXYGEN MAY BE INTRODUCED DURING THE SINGLE ANNEAL CYCLE TO FORM IN SITU FRONT AND BACK PASSIVATING OXIDE LAYERS (40, 41). FIRE-THROUGH OF FRONT AND BACK CONTACTS AS WELL AS METALLIZATION WITH CONTACT CONNECTIONS MAY BE PERFORMED IN A SINGLE CO- FIRING OPERATION. THE FIRING OF THE BACK CONTACT MAY FORM A P+ EMITTER LAYER (50) AT THE INTERFACE OF THE SUBSTRATE AND BACK CONTACTS, THUS FORMING A P-N JUNCTION (25) AT THE INTERFACE OF THE EMITTER LAYER AND THE SUBSTRATE. ASSOCIATED SOLAR CELLS ARE ALSO PROVIDED.