Bonds for solar cell metallization
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.
1. A solar cell, comprising:
a substrate;
a thin dielectric layer disposed on the substrate;
a semiconductor region disposed on the thin dielectric layer; 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 1 , wherein the conductive wire includes aluminum.
4. The solar cell of claim 1 , wherein the conductive wire is an aluminum wire coated in copper.
5. 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.
6. The solar cell of claim 2 , further comprising a second metal between the conductive wire and the first metal.
7. The solar cell of claim 6 , further comprising an intermetallic phase of the second metal and the conductive wire.
8. A solar cell, comprising:
a substrate;
a thin dielectric layer disposed on the substrate;
a doped polysilicon region disposed on the thin dielectric layer; and
a conductive wire thermally compressed to the doped polysilicon region.
9. The solar cell of claim 8 , wherein the conductive wire includes aluminum.
10. The solar cell of claim 8 , wherein the conductive wire is an aluminum wire coated in copper.
11. 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.
12. The solar cell of claim 8 , wherein the polysilicon region comprises a N-type or P-type doped polysilicon region.
13. A solar cell, comprising:
a substrate;
a tunnel oxide layer disposed on the substrate;
a first doped polysilicon region disposed on the tunnel oxide layer;
a second doped polysilicon region disposed on the tunnel oxide layer, wherein the first doped polysilicon region is separate from the second doped polysilicon region;
a first conductive wire thermally compressed to the first doped polysilicon region; and
a second conductive wire thermally compressed to the second doped polysilicon region.
14. The solar cell of claim 13 , wherein the first and second conductive wires comprise a coating.
15. The solar cell of claim 13 , further comprising a first metal between the first and second conductive wires and the first and second doped polysilicon regions, respectively.
16. The solar cell of claim 13 , wherein the conductive wire includes aluminum.
17. 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 first and second conductive wires.
18. The solar cell of claim 13 , wherein the first doped polysilicon region comprises a N-type doped polysilicon region and the second doped polysilicon region comprises a P-type doped polysilicon region.
19. The solar cell of claim 14 , wherein the coating comprises copper.
20. The solar cell of claim 15 , further comprising a second metal between the first and second conductive wires and the first metal.