SOLAR CELL HAVING AN EMITTER REGION WITH WIDE BANDGAP SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIAL

摘要

Solar cells having emitter regions composed of wide bandgap semiconductor material are described. In an example, a method includes forming, in a process tool having a controlled atmosphere, a thin dielectric layer on a surface of a semiconductor substrate of the solar cell. The semiconductor substrate has a bandgap. Without removing the semiconductor substrate from the controlled atmosphere of the process tool, a semiconductor layer is formed on the thin dielectric layer. The semiconductor layer has a bandgap at least approximately 0.2 electron Volts (eV) above the bandgap of the semiconductor substrate.

主权项

1. A solar cell, comprising:
a silicon substrate; a first emitter region disposed on a surface of the silicon substrate and comprising an aluminum nitride (AlN) layer doped to a first conductivity type and disposed on a thin aluminum oxide (Al2O3) layer; a second emitter region disposed on the surface of the silicon substrate and comprising a semiconductor material doped to a second, opposite, conductivity type and disposed on a thin dielectric layer; and first and second contacts disposed on, and conductively coupled to, the first and second emitter regions, respectively.