IP Library Granted Patent US 8,232,128
Granted Patent B2
US 8,232,128 · App. 12/905,907 · Granted Jul 31, 2012

Method of texturing solar cell and method of manufacturing solar cell

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,232,128
App. No.
12/905,907
Granted
Jul 31, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods of texturing and manufacturing a solar cell are provided. The method of texturing the solar includes texturing a surface of a substrate of the solar cell using a wet etchant, and the wet etchant includes a surfactant.

Claims (26)

1. A method of texturing a solar cell, the method comprising:

texturing a surface of a substrate of the solar cell using a wet etchant,

wherein the wet etchant includes a fluorine-containing surfactant of 0.01 wt % to 0.1 wt % or 0.1 wt % to 3 wt % in pure water.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is a single crystal silicon substrate and the wet etchant is an alkaline wet etchant.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the alkaline wet etchant is an etchant including an alkaline solution of 0.5 wt % to 23.5 wt % in the pure water.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the alkaline solution is at least one selected from the group consisting of potassium hydroxide (KOH), sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and ammonium hydroxide (NH 4 OH) and a mixed solution thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is a polycrystalline substrate and the wet etchant is an acidic wet etchant.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the acidic wet etchant is an etchant including the fluorine-containing surfactant in an acidic wet etch solution of HF and HNO 3 .

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the acidic wet etchant is an etchant including a HF solution of 5 wt % to 30 wt % and a HNO 3 solution of 29 wt % to 75 wt %, in the pure water.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the texturing comprises generating a plurality of bubbles by reacting the wet etchant and the substrate, the plurality of bubbles adhering on a surface of the substrate, and

an etch rate of first portions of the surface on which the plurality of bubbles are adhered is different from an etch rate of second portions of the surface on which the plurality of bubbles are not adhered.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the surface is at least an upper portion of the substrate.

10. A method of manufacturing a solar cell, the method comprising:

forming an emitter layer on a substrate of a first conductive type, the emitter layer being of a second conductive type opposite to the first conductive type;

texturing a surface of the emitter layer using a wet etchant to form a textured emitter;

forming a first electrode contacting the textured emitter; and

forming a second electrode contacting the substrate,

wherein the wet etchant includes a fluorine-containing surfactant of 0.01 wt % to 0.1 wt % or 0.1 wt % to 3 wt % in pure water.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the substrate is a single crystal silicon substrate and the wet etchant is an alkaline wet etchant.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the alkaline wet etchant is an etchant including an alkali solution of 0.5 wt % to 23.5 wt % in the pure water.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the alkali solution is at least one selected from the group consisting of potassium hydroxide (KOH), sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and ammonium hydroxide (NH 4 OH) and a mixed solution thereof.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the substrate is a polycrystalline substrate and the wet etchant is an acidic wet etchant.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the acidic wet etchant is an etchant including the fluorine-containing surfactant in an acidic wet etch solution of HF and HNO 3 .

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the acidic wet etchant is an etchant including a HF solution of about 5 wt % to 30 wt % and a HNO 3 solution of 29 wt % to 75 wt % in the pure water.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the texturing comprises generating a plurality of bubbles by reacting the wet etchant and the substrate, the plurality of bubbles adhering on a surface of the substrate, and

an etch rate of a first surface of the substrate on which the plurality of bubbles are adhered is different from an etch rate of a second surface of the substrate on which the plurality of bubbles are not adhered.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 19, 2024
From: SHANGRAO XINYUAN YUEDONG TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CO. LTD.
To: TRINA SOLAR CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 066831/0802 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 19, 2023
From: SHANGRAO JINKO SOLAR TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD
To: SHANGRAO XINYUAN YUEDONG TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CO. LTD
Reel/Frame 066078/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 29, 2022
From: CHEONG, JUHWA; KIM, SUNGJIN; JEONG, JIWEON; DO, YOUNGGU
To: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
Reel/Frame 061909/0393 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 29, 2022
From: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
To: SHANGRAO JINKO SOLAR TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD
Reel/Frame 061572/0487 →