IP Library Granted Patent US 8,697,475
Granted Patent B2
US 8,697,475 · App. 13/640,713 · Granted Apr 15, 2014

Solar cell and method for manufacturing the same

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,697,475
App. No.
13/640,713
Granted
Apr 15, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

A solar cell and a method for manufacturing the same are disclosed. The solar cell may include a substrate, an emitter layer positioned at a first surface of the substrate, a first anti-reflection layer that is positioned on a surface of the emitter layer and may include a plurality of first contact lines exposing a portion of the emitter layer, a first electrode that is electrically connected to the emitter layer exposed through the plurality of first contact lines and may include a plating layer directly contacting the emitter layer, and a second electrode positioned on a second surface of the substrate.

Claims (39)

1. A method for manufacturing a bifacial solar cell comprising:

forming an emitter layer and a first anti-reflection layer on a first surface of a substrate and forming a back surface field layer and a second anti-reflection layer on a second surface of the substrate;

forming a plurality of first contact lines on the first anti-reflection layer and forming a plurality of second contact lines on the second anti-reflection layer, the plurality of first contact lines and the plurality of second contact lines being formed by a dry etching process using a laser; and

forming a first electrode on the emitter layer exposed through the plurality of first contact lines and forming a second electrode on the back surface field layer exposed through the plurality of second contact lines, the first electrode and the second electrode being formed at the same time,

wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are formed of the same material.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, before the emitter layer and the back surface field layer are formed, texturing the first surface and the second surface of the substrate to form a first textured surface and a second textured surface, respectively.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the forming of the emitter layer, the first antireflection layer, the back surface field layer and the second anti-reflection layer includes:

forming the back surface field layer at each of the front surface and the back surface of the substrate;

forming the second anti-reflection layer on a back surface of the back surface field layer at the back surface of the substrate;

removing the back surface field layer positioned on the front surface of the substrate;

forming the emitter layer on the front surface of the substrate; and

forming the first anti-reflection layer on a front surface of the emitter layer.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the removing of the back surface field layer uses an etched back process using the second anti-reflection layer as a mask.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the forming of the first anti-reflection layer includes sequentially stacking an aluminum oxide layer and a silicon nitride layer.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the forming of the plurality of first and second contact lines further includes

etching the first anti-reflection layer and the second anti-reflection layer using a dry etching process using a laser; and

removing a damaged layer of the emitter layer and a damaged layer of the back surface field layer, that are generated by the laser, using a wet etching process.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising, before the emitter layer and the back surface field layer are formed, texturing the first surface and the second surface of the substrate to form a first textured surface and a second textured surface, respectively.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the forming of the emitter layer, the first antireflection layer, the back surface field layer and the second anti-reflection layer includes:

forming the back surface field layer at each of the front surface and the back surface of the substrate;

forming the second anti-reflection layer on a back surface of the back surface field layer at the back surface of the substrate;

removing the back surface field layer positioned on the front surface of the substrate;

forming the emitter layer on the front surface of the substrate; and

forming the first anti-reflection layer on a front surface of the emitter layer.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the removing of the back surface field layer uses an etched back process using the second anti-reflection layer as a mask.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the forming of the first anti-reflection layer includes sequentially stacking an aluminum oxide layer and a silicon nitride layer.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the forming of the first and second electrodes at the same time includes:

forming a metal seed layer directly contacting the emitter layer and the back surface field layer; and

forming at least one conductive layer on the metal seed layer.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising, before the emitter layer and the back surface field layer are formed, texturing the first surface and the second surface of the substrate to form a first textured surface and a second textured surface, respectively.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the forming of the emitter layer, the first antireflection layer, the back surface field layer and the second anti-reflection layer includes:

forming the back surface field layer at each of the front surface and the back surface of the substrate;

forming the second anti-reflection layer on a back surface of the back surface field layer at the back surface of the substrate;

removing the back surface field layer positioned on the front surface of the substrate;

forming the emitter layer on the front surface of the substrate; and

forming the first anti-reflection layer on a front surface of the emitter layer.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the removing of the back surface field layer uses an etched back process using the second anti-reflection layer as a mask.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the forming of the first anti-reflection layer includes sequentially stacking an aluminum oxide layer and a silicon nitride layer.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first surface of the substrate is textured.

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 Sep 29, 2022
From: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
To: SHANGRAO JINKO SOLAR TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD
Reel/Frame 061572/0487 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 12, 2012
From: SHIM, GOOHWAN; PARK, CHANGSEO; YOON, PHILWON; JIN, YOONSIL; KIM, JINSUNG; CHOE, YOUNGHO; CHANG, JAEWON
To: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
Reel/Frame 029122/0029 →