SOLAR CELL HAVING CRYSTALLINE SILICON P-N HOMOJUNCTION AND AMORPHOUS SILICON HETEROJUNCTIONS FOR SURFACE PASSIVATION

摘要

A thin silicon solar cell is described.Specifically, the solar cell may be fabricated from acrystalline silicon wafer having a thickness ofapproximately 50 micrometers to 500 micrometers. The solarcell comprises a first region having a p-n homojunction,a second region that creates heterojunction surfacepassivation, and a third region that creates heterojunctionsurface passivation. Amorphous silicon layers aredeposited on both sides of the silicon wafer attemperatures below approximately 400 degrees Celsius toreduce the loss of passivation properties of theamorphous silicon. A final layer of transparent conductiveoxide is formed on both sides at approximately 165degrees Celsius. Metal contacts are applied to thetransparent conductive oxide. The low temperatures andvery thin material layers used to fabricate the outerlayers of used to fabricate the outer layers of the solar cellprotect the thin wafer from excessive stress that maylead to deforming the wafer.