Forming high efficiency silicon solar cells using density-graded anti-reflection surfaces

1. A method of processing a silicon surface to provide surface passivation for high-efficiency silicon-based devices, comprising:

positioning a substrate with a silicon surface in a chamber, wherein the silicon surface comprises graded-density silicon to provide an anti-reflection surface;

heating the chamber to a temperature within a high-temperature processing range;

with a dopant-containing precursor that is in communication with the chamber or that was previously formed on the silicon surface, forming an emitter junction proximate the silicon surface by doping the substrate; and

while the chamber is maintained at the temperature within the high-temperature processing range, forming a passivation layer on the graded-density silicon anti-reflection surface,

wherein a dopant-containing layer is formed on the silicon surface during or prior to the emitter junction forming and wherein the passivation layer forming is performed with the dopant-containing layer in place on the substrate, whereby the passivation layer is sandwiched between the dopant-containing layer and the graded-density silicon anti-reflection surface.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dopant-containing precursor comprises POCl 3 and wherein the passivation layer forming includes inputting oxygen, water vapor, or another oxygen source into the chamber, whereby the passivation layer comprises silicon dioxide and wherein the dopant-containing layer comprises phosphorus silicate glass.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the high-temperature range is 700 to 1250° C.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the high-temperature range is 830 to 870° C.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dopant-containing precursor is selected from the group consisting of boron nitride, POCl 3 , BBr 3 , PH 3 , B 2 H 6 , GaN, AsH 3 , SbH 3 , TMB, and spin-on dopants for B, Ga, P, or Sb.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the passivation layer forming comprises inputting a passivation source into the chamber, the passivation source selected from the group consisting of oxygen, ammonia, N 2 O, water vapor, and an aluminum precursor.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the emitter junction forming and the passivation layer forming are performed at least partially concurrently.

8. A method of forming a high-efficiency silicon-based device, comprising:

in a processing chamber, providing a device with a silicon surface with a density gradient reducing reflectivity of the silicon surface;

heating the chamber to a temperature of at least about 700° C.;

with a dopant-containing precursor that is in communication with the chamber or that was previously formed on the silicon surface, forming an emitter junction proximate to the silicon surface by doping the device; and

with the chamber maintained at or above the temperature, performing surface passivation of the silicon surface by inputting oxygen or water vapor into the chamber, whereby a passivation layer of silicon dioxide is formed on the silicon surface,

wherein a dopant-containing layer is formed on the silicon surface during or prior to the emitter junction forming,

wherein the passivation layer is formed with the dopant-containing layer in place on the device, whereby the passivation layer is sandwiched between the dopant-containing layer and the silicon surface, and

wherein the density gradient is formed in the silicon surface by a texturing process, the texturing process comprising the steps of:

placing the device in a container;

providing a volume of catalytic solution in the container;

providing a volume of oxidant-etchant solution in the container, wherein the oxidant-etchant solution comprises an etching agent and an oxidizing agent and the catalytic solution provides a plurality of catalytic metal particles in the presence of the oxidant-etchant solution;

agitating the catalytic solution and the oxidant-etchant solution in the container to etch the silicon surface of the device; and

removing the catalytic metal particles from the silicon surface of the device.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the emitter junction is an emitter homo-junction in the device formed by doping the silicon surface.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the emitter homo-junction forming is performed prior to the formation of the passivation layer.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the dopant-containing layer is formed on the silicon surface during the emitter homo-junction forming and wherein the method further comprises stripping the dopant-containing layer from the silicon surface prior to performing the surface passivation.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the emitter homo-junction forming includes providing the dopant-containing precursor in contact with the silicon surface, wherein the dopant-containing precursor is selected from the group consisting of boron nitride, POCl 3 , BBr 3 , PH 3 , B 2 H 6 , GaN, AsH 3 , SbH 3 , TMB, and spin-on dopants for B, Ga, P, or Sb.

13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising forming front and back contacts on the device, whereby a high-efficiency solar cell is formed.

14. A method of processing a silicon surface to provide surface passivation for high-efficiency silicon-based devices, comprising:

positioning a substrate with a silicon surface in a chamber, wherein the silicon surface comprises an anti-reflection surface;

heating the chamber to a temperature within a high-temperature processing range;

with a dopant-containing precursor, forming an emitter junction by doping the substrate; and

forming a passivation layer on the anti-reflection surface,

wherein a dopant-containing layer is formed on the silicon surface,

wherein the passivation layer forming is performed with the dopant-containing layer in place on the substrate,

wherein the dopant-containing precursor comprises POCl 3 , and

wherein the passivation layer forming includes inputting oxygen, water vapor, or another oxygen source into the chamber, whereby the passivation layer comprises silicon dioxide and wherein the dopant-containing layer comprises phosphorus silicate glass.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the emitter junction forming and the passivation layer forming are performed at least partially concurrently.

16. A method of processing a silicon surface to provide surface passivation for high-efficiency silicon-based devices, comprising:

positioning a substrate with a silicon surface in a chamber, wherein the silicon surface comprises an anti-reflection surface;

heating the chamber to a temperature within a high-temperature processing range;

with a dopant-containing precursor, forming an emitter junction by doping the substrate; and

forming a passivation layer on the anti-reflection surface,

wherein a dopant-containing layer is formed on the silicon surface,

wherein the passivation layer forming is performed with the dopant-containing layer in place on the substrate, and

wherein the emitter junction forming and the passivation layer forming are performed at least partially concurrently.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the dopant-containing precursor is selected from the group consisting of boron nitride, POCl 3 , BBr 3 , PH 3 , B 2 H 6 , GaN, AsH 3 , SbH 3 , TMB, and spin-on dopants for B, Ga, P, or Sb.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the passivation layer forming comprises inputting a passivation source into the chamber, the passivation source selected from the group consisting of oxygen, ammonia, N 2 O, water vapor, and an aluminum precursor.