SOLAR CELL AND METHOD OF FABRICATING SAME
A solar cell device and a method of fabricating the device is described. The solar cell is fabricated by providing a substrate, depositing a back contact over the substrate, depositing an absorber over the back contact, depositing a front contact over the absorber, and embedding a highly thermally conductive material within the solar cell. The highly thermally conductive material can be embedded as a highly thermally conductive layer between the substrate and the back contact, a highly thermally conductive fill within a P3 scribe line, or both.
1 . A solar cell comprising:
a substrate;
a highly thermally conductive layer over said substrate;
a back contact over said highly thermally conductive layer;
an absorber over said back contact; and
a front contact over said absorber.
2 . The solar cell as in claim 1 , wherein said highly thermally conductive layer is on said substrate.
3 . The solar cell as in claim 1 , wherein said highly thermally conductive layer comprises a material having a greater thermal conductivity than a material of said substrate.
4 . The solar cell as in claim 1 , wherein said highly thermally conductive layer has a thermal conductivity of about 30 W/(m·K) or greater.
5 . The solar cell as in claim 1 , wherein said highly thermally conductive layer has a thermal conductivity of about 200 W/(m·K) or greater.
6 . The solar cell as in claim 1 , wherein said highly thermally conductive layer has a resistivity of about 1.00E+11Ω·m or greater.
7 . The solar cell as in claim 1 , wherein said highly thermally conductive layer comprises a thin film.
8 . The solar cell as in claim 1 , wherein said highly thermally conductive layer comprises stacked nanoparticles.
9 . The solar cell as in claim 1 , further comprising a P3 scribe line extending through said absorber and front contact, and a highly thermally conductive fill within said P3 scribe line.
10 . A solar cell comprising:
a substrate;
a back contact over said substrate;
an absorber over said back contact;
a front contact over said absorber; and
a scribe line extending through said absorber and front contact, wherein said scribe line comprises a highly thermally conductive fill therein.
11 . The solar cell as in claim 10 , wherein said highly thermally conductive fill comprises stacked nanoparticles.
12 . The solar cell as in claim 10 , wherein said highly thermally conductive fill comprises aluminum oxide.
13 . The solar cell as in claim 10 , wherein said highly thermally conductive fill comprises aluminum nitride.
14 . A method for fabricating a solar cell, comprising:
providing a substrate;
depositing a back contact over said substrate;
depositing an absorber over said back contact;
depositing a front contact over said absorber; and
embedding a highly thermally conductive material within said solar cell.
15 . The method as in claim 14 , wherein said embedding step comprises depositing a highly thermally conductive layer between said substrate and said back contact.
16 . The method as in claim 15 , wherein said highly thermally conductive layer is deposited by physical vapor deposition.
17 . The method as in claim 15 , wherein said highly thermally conductive layer is deposited by atomic layer deposition.
18 . The method as in claim 14 , further comprising scribing a P3 line extending through said absorber and front contact; and wherein said embedding step comprises depositing a highly thermally conductive fill within said P3 scribe line.
19 . The method as in claim 18 , wherein said highly thermally conductive fill is deposited by spraying nanoparticles of said highly thermally conductive material.
20 . The method as in claim 18 , wherein said embedding step further comprises depositing a highly thermally conductive layer between said substrate and said back contact.