Methods for electroless plating of a solar cell metallization layer

1. A method for forming a contact region for a solar cell, the solar cell having a front side which faces the sun during normal operation, and a back side opposite the front side, the method comprising:

depositing a paste comprising a first metal above a substrate of the solar cell;

curing the paste to form a first metal layer;

electrolessly plating a second metal layer on the first metal layer; and

electrolytically plating a third metal layer on the second metal layer, wherein the second metal layer electrically couples the first metal layer to the third metal layer.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein depositing the paste above the substrate comprises depositing paste on a polysilicon region above the substrate.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein depositing the paste comprises depositing an aluminum paste.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein depositing the aluminum paste comprises depositing an aluminum paste having a thickness of at least 0.5 microns.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second metal layer comprises a barrier metal adapted to prevent diffusion of metals from the third metal layer into the substrate.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein electrolessly plating the second metal layer comprises electrolessly plating a metal selected from the group consisting of nickel, gold, silver, rhodium, chromium, zinc, tin and cadmium.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein electrolessly plating the second metal layer comprises electrolessly plating a metal layer having a thickness of at least 0.1 microns.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein electrolytically plating the third metal layer comprises electrolytically plating a metal selected from the group consisting of copper, tin, aluminum, silver, gold, chromium, iron, nickel, zinc, ruthenium, palladium, and platinum.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: electrolytically plating a fourth metal layer on the third metal layer.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein electrolytically plating the fourth metal layer comprises electrolytically plating a metal selected from the group consisting of copper, tin, aluminum, silver, gold, chromium, iron, nickel, zinc, ruthenium, palladium, and platinum.

11. A method for forming a contact region for a solar cell, the solar cell having a front side which faces the sun during normal operation, and a back side opposite the front side, the method comprising:

depositing, in an interdigitated pattern, an aluminum paste above a substrate of the solar cell;

curing the aluminum paste to form a layer of aluminum;

electrolessly plating a second metal layer with a thickness of at least 0.1 microns on the layer of aluminum;

electrolytically plating a third metal layer on the second metal layer, wherein the second metal layer electrically couples the layer of aluminum to the third metal layer; and

electrolytically plating a fourth metal layer on the third metal layer.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein depositing aluminum paste comprises depositing aluminum paste having a thickness of at least 0.5 microns.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second metal layer comprises a barrier metal adapted to prevent diffusion of metals from the third metal layer into the substrate.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein depositing the aluminum paste above the substrate comprises depositing aluminum paste on a polysilicon region above the substrate.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein depositing the aluminum paste comprises depositing using a method selected from the group consisting of screen printing, spin coating, and ink-jet printing.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein electrolytically plating the third and fourth metal layers comprises electrolytically plating metals selected from the group consisting of copper, tin, aluminum, silver, gold, chromium, iron, nickel, zinc, ruthenium, palladium, and platinum.

17. A method for forming a contact region for a solar cell, the solar cell having a front side which faces the sun during normal operation, and a back side opposite the front side, the method comprising:

depositing, in an interdigitated pattern, an aluminum paste with a thickness of at least 0.5 microns above a substrate of the solar cell;

thermally curing the aluminum paste to form a layer of aluminum;

electrolessly plating a second metal layer comprising a barrier metal with a thickness of at least 0.1 microns on the layer of aluminum, wherein the barrier metal is adapted to prevent diffusion of metals into the substrate;

electrolytically plating a third metal layer on the second metal layer, wherein the second metal layer electrically couples the layer of aluminum to the third metal layer; and

electrolytically plating a fourth metal layer on the third metal layer.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein depositing the aluminum paste above the substrate comprises depositing aluminum paste on a polysilicon region above the substrate.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein depositing the aluminum paste on the solar cell comprises depositing aluminum paste on the solar cell using a method selected from the group consisting of screen printing, spin coating, and ink-jet printing.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the solar cell comprises a solar cell selected from the group consisting of a back-contact solar cell, a front-contact solar cell, a monocrystalline silicon solar cell, a polycrystalline silicon solar cell, an amorphous silicon solar cell, a thin film silicon solar cell, a copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) solar cell, and a cadmium telluride solar cell.