METHOD TO FORM A PHOTOVOLTAIC CELL COMPRISING A THIN LAMINA
A very thin photovoltaic cell is formed by implanting gas ions below the surface of a donor body such as a semiconductor wafer. Ion implantation defines a cleave plane, and a subsequent step exfoliates a thin lamina from the wafer at the cleave plane. A photovoltaic cell, or all or a portion of the base or emitter of a photovoltaic cell, is formed within the lamina. In preferred embodiments, the wafer is affixed to a receiver before the cleaving step. Electrical contact can be formed to both surfaces of the lamina, or to one surface only.
1 . A photovoltaic module comprising:
a receiver; and
a plurality of semiconductor laminae bonded to the receiver, wherein each semiconductor lamina is between about 1 and about 100 microns thick, wherein each semiconductor lamina comprises at least a portion of a base, or of an emitter, of a photovoltaic cell.
2 . The photovoltaic module of claim 1 wherein each semiconductor lamina is between about 1 and about 20 microns thick.
3 . The photovoltaic module of claim 2 wherein each semiconductor lamina is between about 1 and about 5 microns thick
4 . The photovoltaic module of claim 1 wherein each semiconductor lamina is monocrystalline silicon.
5 . The photovoltaic module of claim 1 wherein each semiconductor lamina is polycrystalline or multicrystalline semiconductor material.
6 . The photovoltaic module of claim 1 wherein the plurality of semiconductor laminae comprises at least 12 laminae.
7 . The photovoltaic module of claim 1 wherein the plurality of semiconductor laminae comprises at least 36 laminae.
8 . The photovoltaic module of claim 1 wherein the receiver is a substrate.
9 . The photovoltaic module of claim 1 wherein the receiver is a superstrate.
10 . The photovoltaic module of claim 1 wherein each semiconductor lamina comprises a base of a photovoltaic cell.
11 . The photovoltaic module of claim 1 wherein each semiconductor lamina comprises a base and an emitter of a photovoltaic cell.
12 . The photovoltaic module of claim 11 wherein each semiconductor lamina consists essentially of monocrystalline silicon.
13 . The photovoltaic module of claim 11 wherein each semiconductor lamina is less than about 5 microns thick.
14 . The photovoltaic module of claim 1 wherein the receiver comprises glass.
15 . The photovoltaic module of claim 1 wherein the receiver comprises metal.
16 . The photovoltaic module of claim 1 wherein the receiver comprises a polymer.