IP Library Granted Patent US 10,622,505
Granted Patent B2
US 10,622,505 · App. 16/201,943 · Granted Apr 14, 2020

Bonds for solar cell metallization

Inventors: Richard Hamilton Sewell (Los Altos, CA); Michel Arsène Olivier Ngamo Toko (Brussels, BE); Matthieu Moors (Braine-le-Château, BE); Jens Dirk Moschner (Heverlee, BE)
Assignees: SunPower Corporation; Total Marketing Services
H01L31/18B32B37/06B32B38/004H01L31/022433H01L31/022441B32B2307/202B32B2307/40B32B2310/028B32B2310/0418B32B2311/12B32B2311/24B32B2457/12Y02E10/50
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,622,505
App. No.
16/201,943
Granted
Apr 14, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A solar cell can include a substrate and a semiconductor region disposed in or above the substrate. The solar cell can also include a conductive contact disposed on the semiconductor region with the conductive contact including a conductive foil bonded to the semiconductor region.

Claims (46)

1. A solar cell, comprising:

a substrate;

a semiconductor region disposed above and insulated from the substrate; and

a conductive wire thermally compressed to the semiconductor region.

2. The solar cell of claim 1 , further comprising a first metal between the conductive wire and the semiconductor region.

3. The solar cell of claim 2 , further comprising a second metal between the conductive wire and the first metal.

4. The solar cell of claim 3 , further comprising an intermetallic phase of the second metal and the conductive wire.

5. The solar cell of claim 1 , wherein the conductive wire includes aluminum.

6. The solar cell of claim 1 , wherein the conductive wire is an aluminum wire coated in copper.

7. The solar cell of claim 1 , further comprising a contact region for coupling the solar cell to another solar cell, wherein the contact region includes a different type of metal than the conductive wire.

8. A solar cell, comprising:

a single crystalline silicon substrate;

a doped silicon region disposed in the single crystalline silicon substrate;

a conductive wire thermally compressed to the doped silicon region;

a first metal between the conductive wire and the doped silicon region; and

a second metal between the conductive wire and the first metal.

9. The solar cell of claim 8 , further comprising an intermetallic phase of the second metal and the conductive wire.

10. The solar cell of claim 8 , wherein the conductive wire includes aluminum.

11. The solar cell of claim 8 , wherein the conductive wire is an aluminum wire coated in copper.

12. The solar cell of claim 8 , further comprising a contact region for coupling the solar cell to another solar cell, wherein the contact region includes a different type of metal than the conductive wire.

13. A solar cell, comprising:

a single crystalline silicon substrate;

a doped polycrystalline silicon layer disposed above the single crystalline silicon substrate;

an oxide layer between the single crystalline silicon substrate and the doped polycrystalline silicon layer; and

a conductive wire thermally compressed to the doped polycrystalline silicon layer.

14. The solar cell of claim 13 , further comprising a first metal between the conductive wire and the doped polycrystalline silicon layer.

15. The solar cell of claim 14 , further comprising a second metal between the conductive wire and the first metal.

16. The solar cell of claim 15 , further comprising an intermetallic phase of the second metal and the conductive wire.

17. The solar cell of claim 13 , wherein the conductive wire includes aluminum.

18. The solar cell of claim 13 , further comprising a contact region for coupling the solar cell to another solar cell, wherein the contact region includes a different type of metal than the conductive wire.

19. A solar cell, comprising:

a substrate;

a semiconductor region disposed in or above the substrate;

a conductive wire thermally compressed to the semiconductor region;

a first metal between the conductive wire and the semiconductor region; and

a second metal between the conductive wire and the first metal.

20. A solar cell, comprising:

a single crystalline silicon substrate;

a doped silicon region disposed in the single crystalline silicon substrate; and

a conductive wire thermally compressed to the doped silicon region, wherein the conductive wire is an aluminum wire coated in copper.

21. A solar cell, comprising:

a single crystalline silicon substrate;

a doped polycrystalline silicon layer disposed above the single crystalline silicon substrate;

a conductive wire thermally compressed to the doped polycrystalline silicon layer;

a first metal between the conductive wire and the doped polycrystalline silicon layer; and

a second metal between the conductive wire and the first metal.

Assignments (5)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 8, 2025
From: TOTALENERGIES SE; TOTALENERGIES SOLAR INTL
To: MAXEON SOLAR PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 073059/0081 →
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 →