SURFACE PREPARATION AND UNIFORM PLATING ON THROUGH WAFER VIAS AND INTERCONNECTS FOR PHOTOVOLTAICS

摘要

Photovoltaic devices are formed by laser drilling vias through silicon substrates and, following surface preparation of the via sidewalls, plating a continuous, electrically conductive layer on the via sidewalls to electrically connect the emitter side of the cell with the back side of the cell. The electrically conductive layer can be formed on portions of a base emitter within the vias and on the back side of the substrate. Alternatively, the electrically conductive layer can be formed on a passivation layer on the via sidewalls and back side of the cell.

主权项

1. A method for fabricating a photovoltaic device, comprising:
obtaining a substrate comprising silicon and including a front side and a back side; laser drilling one or more vias through the substrate, each of the one or more vias including a sidewall; smoothing the sidewall of each of the one or more vias; forming a doped emitter on the front side of the substrate; forming an electrically conductive contact pad on the back side of the substrate; forming an antireflective coating on the doped emitter, and plating a continuous, electrically conductive layer on each sidewall of the one or more vias, thereby forming one or more plated vias, each plated via having axial opening, whereby the continuous, electrically conductive layer of each of the one or more plated vias is electrically connected to the doped emitter.