IP Library Granted Patent US 9,217,206
Granted Patent B2
US 9,217,206 · App. 14/040,116 · Granted Dec 22, 2015

Enhanced porosification

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,217,206
App. No.
14/040,116
Granted
Dec 22, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

Forming a porous layer on a silicon substrate. Forming the porous layer can include placing a first silicon substrate in a solution, where a first electrode is within a threshold distance to an edge of the silicon substrate. It can further include conducting a first current through the silicon substrate, where the first electrode can be positioned relative to the edge allowing for substantially uniform porosification along the edge of the first silicon substrate.

Claims (29)

1. A method for forming a porous layer on a silicon substrate, the method comprising: placing a first silicon substrate in a solution, wherein a first electrode is within a threshold distance of a first edge of the first silicon substrate; and conducting a first current through the first silicon substrate, wherein the first electrode's position being within the threshold distance of the first edge allows for substantially uniform porosification along the first edge of the first silicon substrate, wherein said conducting results in the first electrode drawing current away from the first edge of the first silicon substrate.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first electrode's position being within a second threshold distance of a second edge of the first silicon substrate allows for substantially uniform porosification along the second edge of the first silicon substrate.

3. A method for forming a porous layer on a silicon substrate, the method comprising: placing a first silicon substrate in a solution, wherein a first electrode is within a threshold distance of a first edge of the first silicon substrate; and conducting a first current through the first silicon substrate, wherein the first electrode's position being within the threshold distance of the first edge allows for substantially uniform porosification along the first edge of the first silicon substrate, further comprising the first electrode conducting a second current along the first edge of the first silicon substrate.

4. A method for forming a porous layer on a silicon substrate, the method comprising: placing a first silicon substrate in a solution, wherein a first electrode is within a threshold distance of a first edge of the first silicon substrate; and conducting a first current through the first silicon substrate, wherein the first electrode's position being within the threshold distance of the first edge allows for substantially uniform porosification along the first edge of the first silicon substrate, wherein the first electrode at least partially surrounds perimeter edges of the first silicon substrate, wherein the first electrode's position relative to the perimeter edges allows for substantially uniform porosification along the perimeter edges.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein placing a first silicon substrate in the solution comprises placing a non-circular silicon substrate in the solution.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein placing the first silicon substrate in the solution comprises placing the first silicon substrate in a porosification solution.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein placing the first silicon substrate in a solution comprises placing the first silicon substrate in a solution comprised of a chemical selected from the group consisting of hydrofluoric acid (HF), isopropyl alcohol (IPA) and ethanol.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

placing a second silicon substrate in the solution, the second silicon substrate substantially parallel and non-planar to the first silicon substrate; and

wherein conducting the first current includes conducting the first current through the first and second silicon substrates, wherein placement of the first electrode allows for substantially uniform porosification along the first edge of both the first and second silicon substrates.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein placement of the first electrode allows for substantially uniform porosification along a second edge of both the first and second silicon substrates.

10. A method of forming a porous layer on a silicon substrate, the method comprising:

placing a first silicon substrate in a solution, the first silicon substrate positioned between a second and third electrode, wherein a first electrode is positioned along a first perimeter edge of the first silicon substrate; and

conducting a first current from the second electrode to the third electrode through the first silicon substrate, wherein placement of the first electrode relative to the first perimeter edge allows for substantially uniform porosification along the first perimeter edge of the first silicon substrate.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein placement of the first electrode relative to a second perimeter edge of the first silicon substrate allows for substantially uniform porosification along the second perimeter edge of the first silicon substrate.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

placing a second silicon substrate between the first silicon substrate and the third electrode, the second silicon substrate substantially parallel and non-planar to the first silicon substrate; and

wherein conducting the first current includes conducting the first current through the first and second silicon substrates, the placement of the first electrode allowing for substantially uniform porosification along the respective first perimeter edge of both the first and second silicon substrates.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein placement of the first electrode is within first and seconde threshold distances relative to respective first perimeter edges of the first and second silicon substrates, respectively, allowing for substantially uniform porosification along both the first perimeter edges of the first and second silicon substrates.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first threshold distance is different than the second threshold distance.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising the first electrode conducting a second current along the first perimeter edge of the first silicon substrate.

16. A method of forming a porous layer on a silicon substrate, the method comprising:

placing a first silicon substrate in a solution, the first silicon substrate positioned between a second and third electrode, wherein a first electrode is physically separated from the solution by a cationic membrane and at least partially surrounds perimeter edges of the first silicon substrate; and

conducting a first current from the second electrode to the third electrode through the first silicon substrate, wherein placement of the first electrode relative to the perimeter edges allows for substantially uniform porosification along the perimeter edges of the first silicon substrate.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

placing a second silicon substrate between the first silicon substrate and the third electrode, the second silicon substrate substantially parallel and non-planar to the first silicon substrate, wherein the cationic membrane physically separates the first silicon substrate from second silicon substrate; and

conducting a first current from the second electrode to the third electrode through the first and second silicon substrates, wherein placement of the first electrode relative to the perimeter edges of the first silicon substrate allows for substantially uniform porosification along the perimeter edges of the first and second silicon substrates.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein said conducting results in the first electrode drawing current away from the perimeter edges of the silicon substrate.

19. The method of claim 16 , further comprising the first electrode conducting a second current along the perimeter edges of the first silicon substrate.

Assignments (5)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 27, 2024
From: MAXEON SOLAR PTE. LTD.
To: DB TRUSTEES (HONG KONG) LIMITED
Reel/Frame 067924/0062 →
SECOND LIEN SECURITY INTEREST AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 26, 2024
From: MAXEON SOLAR PTE. LTD
To: DB TRUSTEES (HONG KONG) LIMITED
Reel/Frame 071343/0553 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2024
From: MAXEON SOLAR PTE. LTD.
To: DB TRUSTEES (HONG KONG) LIMITED
Reel/Frame 067637/0598 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 24, 2023
From: SUNPOWER CORPORATION
To: MAXEON SOLAR PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 062699/0875 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 12, 2014
From: BEHNKE, JOSEPH; RIM, SEUNG BUM
To: SUNPOWER CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 033734/0544 →