IP Library Granted Patent US 9,640,673
Granted Patent B2
US 9,640,673 · App. 14/295,662 · Granted May 2, 2017

Solar cell and manufacturing method thereof

Inventors: Hayan Baek (Seoul, KR); Junghoon Choi (Seoul, KR); Goohwan Shim (Seoul, KR)
Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
H01L31/022425H01L31/022441H01L31/068H01L31/0682H01L31/072H01L31/18H01L31/1804Y02E10/547Y02P70/521
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,640,673
App. No.
14/295,662
Granted
May 2, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

The manufacturing method of a solar cell includes forming a photoelectric conversion unit and forming an electrode connected to the photoelectric conversion unit. The step of forming the electrode includes forming a seed formation layer connected to the photoelectric conversion unit, forming an anti-oxidation layer on the seed formation layer, performing a thermal process such that a material of the seed formation layer and a material of the photoelectric conversion unit react with each other to form a chemical bonding layer at a portion at which the seed formation layer and the photoelectric conversion unit are adjacent to each other, forming a conductive layer and a capping layer on the seed formation layer in a state in which a mask is used on the seed formation layer, and patterning the seed formation layer using either the conductive layer or the capping layer as a mask.

Claims (27)

1. A manufacturing method of a solar cell comprising:

forming a photoelectric conversion unit;

forming a passivation film on the photoelectric conversion unit; and

forming an electrode connected to the photoelectric conversion unit, wherein the forming of the electrode comprises:

forming contact holes formed through the passivation film;

forming a metal layer connected to the photoelectric conversion unit, wherein the metal layer is formed on the passivation film to cover an exposed portion of the photoelectric conversion unit through the contact holes of the passivation film;

forming an anti-oxidation layer on the metal layer to prevent oxidation of the metal layer;

performing a thermal process such that a material of the metal layer and a material of the photoelectric conversion unit react with each other to form a chemical bonding layer at a portion at which the metal layer and the photoelectric conversion unit are adjacent to each other and a remaining portion of the metal layer cover the chemical bonding layer;

forming a conductive layer and a capping layer on the metal layer in a state in which a mask is disposed on the metal layer; and

patterning the metal layer using one of the conductive layer and the capping layer as a mask,

wherein the chemical bonding layer is formed in the contact holes of the passivation film.

2. The manufacturing method according to claim 1 , wherein the anti-oxidation layer comprises metal.

3. The manufacturing method according to claim 2 , wherein the anti-oxidation layer comprises at least one of titanium (Ti), tantalum (Ta), tungsten (W), molybdenum (Mo), chromium (Cr), zinc (Zn), an alloy containing at least one thereof, and nitride containing at least one thereof.

4. The manufacturing method according to claim 1 , wherein the metal layer has a thickness of about 10 nm to about 1 μm.

5. The manufacturing method according to claim 1 , wherein the anti-oxidation layer has a smaller thickness than the metal layer.

6. The manufacturing method according to claim 5 , wherein a ratio of the thickness of the metal layer:the thickness of the anti-oxidation layer is about 2:1 to about 200:1.

7. The manufacturing method according to claim 6 , wherein the ratio of the thickness of the metal layer:the thickness of the anti-oxidation layer is about 2:1 to about 10:1.

8. The manufacturing method according to claim 5 , wherein the anti-oxidation layer has a thickness of about 5 nm to about 100 nm.

9. The manufacturing method according to claim 1 , wherein the performing the thermal process comprises performing the thermal process at a thermal process temperature of about 350° C. to about 450° C.

10. The manufacturing method according to claim 1 , wherein the performing the thermal process comprises performing the thermal process for a thermal process time of about 5 minutes to about 1 hour.

11. The manufacturing method according to claim 1 , wherein the conductive layer has a thickness of about 20 μm to about 30 μm, and the capping layer has a thickness of about 1 μm to about 10 μm.

12. The manufacturing method according to claim 1 , wherein the metal layer comprises nickel (Ni), and the chemical bonding layer comprises nickel silicide (NiSi).

13. The manufacturing method according to claim 1 , wherein the conductive layer comprises copper (Cu), and the capping layer comprises tin (Sn).

14. The manufacturing method according to claim 1 , wherein the patterning the metal layer comprises patterning the metal layer using an etching solution to selectively etch the metal layer.

15. The manufacturing method according to claim 14 , wherein the etching solution comprises nitric acid and hydrochloric acid.

16. The manufacturing method according to claim 1 , further comprising patterning the anti-oxidation layer using one of the conductive layer and the capping layer as a mask between the forming the conductive layer and the capping layer and the patterning the metal layer.

17. The manufacturing method according to claim 1 , wherein the metal layer serves as a seed layer.

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 Nov 30, 2023
From: SHANGRAO JINKO SOLAR TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD
To: SHANGRAO XINYUAN YUEDONG TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CO. LTD
Reel/Frame 065725/0706 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 29, 2022
From: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
To: SHANGRAO JINKO SOLAR TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 061571/0764 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 27, 2017
From: BAEK, HAYAN; CHOI, JUNGHOON; SHIM, GOOHWAN
To: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
Reel/Frame 041751/0261 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2013-0064788 · Jun 5, 2013 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20140360570A1 · Dec 11, 2014