IP Library Granted Patent US 10,861,998
Granted Patent B2
US 10,861,998 · App. 16/007,449 · Granted Dec 8, 2020

Compound semiconductor solar cell and method of manufacturing the same

Inventors: Junoh Shin (Seoul, KR); Kitae An (Seoul, KR); Huijae Lee (Seoul, KR); Hyeunseok Cheun (Seoul, KR)
Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
H01L31/186H01L31/02168H01L31/022466H01L31/03046H01L31/0735H01L31/1844H01L31/1876H01L31/1884
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,861,998
App. No.
16/007,449
Granted
Dec 8, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed is a method of manufacturing a compound semiconductor solar cell including forming a compound semiconductor layer; and forming a defect-removed portion formed of an empty space through removing a portion of the compound semiconductor layer where a defect existed prior to removal. The forming of the defect-removed portion includes forming a mask material layer on the compound semiconductor layer; forming a mask layer through forming an opening at a portion of the mask material layer corresponding to the portion of the compound semiconductor layer where the defect exists; and etching the compound semiconductor layer for removing the portion of the compound semiconductor layer where the defect exists through the opening of the mask layer to form the defect-removed portion.

Claims (33)

1. A method of manufacturing a compound semiconductor solar cell, the method comprising:

forming a compound semiconductor layer; and

forming a defect-removed portion formed of an empty space through removing a portion of the compound semiconductor layer where a defect existed prior to removal,

wherein the forming of the defect-removed portion comprises:

forming a mask material layer on the compound semiconductor layer;

forming a mask layer through forming an opening at a portion of the mask material layer corresponding to the portion of the compound semiconductor layer where the defect exists; and

etching the compound semiconductor layer for removing the portion of the compound semiconductor layer where the defect exists through the opening of the mask layer to form the defect-removed portion, and

wherein the etching of the compound semiconductor layer is performed by a wet etching.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the mask material layer comprises a photosensitive material, and

wherein, in the forming of the mask layer, the opening is formed by partially exposing the mask material layer using a laser exposure and developing the mask material layer.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the defect is entirely removed in the etching of the compound semiconductor layer.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

forming a partition portion at the compound semiconductor layer such that the compound semiconductor layer is partitioned to form a plurality of unit solar cells, after the forming of the compound semiconductor layer,

wherein the etching of the compound semiconductor layer and the forming of the partition portion are performed by the same etching process.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the mask material layer comprises a photosensitive material, and

wherein, in the forming of the mask layer, the opening and a partition opening corresponding to the partition portion are formed together by partially exposing the mask material layer using a laser exposure and developing the mask material layer.

6. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the mask material layer comprises a photosensitive material, and

wherein the forming of the mask layer comprises:

first exposure of the mask material layer for the opening using a laser exposure;

second exposure of the mask material layer for a partition opening for the partition portion; and

developing for removing exposed portions or non-exposed portions formed by the first exposure and the second exposure,

wherein the first exposure and the second exposure are performed separately.

7. The method according of claim 6 , wherein the second exposure is performed using a mask and an ultraviolet lamp.

8. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the second exposure is performed after the first exposure, or the first exposure is performed after the second exposure.

9. The method according to claim 4 , wherein an etched surface constituting a side surface of the defect-removed portion and an etched surface constituting a side surface of the partition portion are formed to have the same property.

10. The method according to claim 4 , wherein each of an etched surface constituting a side surface of the defect-removed portion and an etched surface constituting a side surface of the partition portion has an under-cut by the wet etching.

11. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

forming a first electrode having a pattern on a surface of the compound semiconductor layer on which the mask material layer is formed, between the forming of the compound semiconductor layer and the forming of the defect-removed portion,

wherein, in the forming of the defect-removed portion, the defect existing at a portion of the compound semiconductor layer where the first electrode is not positioned is removed.

12. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

forming a second electrode on a surface of the compound semiconductor layer opposite to a surface of the compound semiconductor layer on which the mask material layer is formed, between the forming of the compound semiconductor layer and the forming of the defect-removed portion,

wherein the defect-removed portion penetrates through the compound semiconductor layer to expose the second electrode, and

wherein the method further comprises forming an anti-reflection layer for covering the defect-removed portion of the compound semiconductor layer and a portion of the second electrode exposed through the defect-removed portion, after the forming of the defect-removed portion.

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 11, 2023
From: SHANGRAO JINKO SOLAR TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD
To: SHANGRAO XINYUAN YUEDONG TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CO. LTD
Reel/Frame 066044/0299 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 28, 2022
From: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
To: SHANGRAO JINKO SOLAR TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD
Reel/Frame 061571/0754 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 15, 2018
From: SHIN, JUNOH; AN, KITAE; LEE, HUIJAE; CHEUN, HYEUNSEOK
To: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
Reel/Frame 046102/0613 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2017-0075004 · Jun 14, 2017 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180366608A1 · Dec 20, 2018