IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,402,432
Granted Patent B2
US 12,402,432 · App. 18/765,993 · Granted Aug 26, 2025

Passivated contact structure and solar cell comprising the same, cell assembly, and photovoltaic system

Inventors: Gang Chen (Yiwu, CN); Kaifu Qiu (Yiwu, CN); Yongqian Wang (Yiwu, CN); Xinqiang Yang (Yiwu, CN)
Assignees: ZHEJIANG AIKO SOLAR ENERGY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.; ZHUHAI FUSHAN AIKO SOLAR ENERGY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.; TIANJIN AIKO SOLAR ENERGY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.; GUANGDONG AIKO SOLAR ENERGY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
H10F71/129H10F19/908
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,402,432
App. No.
18/765,993
Granted
Aug 26, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A solar cell includes a silicon substrate, a first doped region, and a second doped region. The first doped region includes a first passivated contact region on the silicon substrate and a second passivated contact region on the first passivated contact region. The first passivated contact region includes a first doped layer, a first passivation layer, and a second doped layer. The second passivated contact region includes a second passivation layer and a third doped layer. The second doped region includes a third passivation layer. Each of the first and third passivation layers includes a porous structure. One of the first and second doped regions is a P-type doped region, the other of the first and second doped regions is an N-type doped region, and a hole density of a corresponding passivation layer in the P-type doped region is greater than that in the N-type doped region.

Claims (89)

1. A solar cell, comprising:

a silicon substrate;

a first doped region and a second doped region, disposed on a back side of the silicon substrate and having opposite polarities,

wherein

one of the first doped region and the second doped region includes a passivated contact structure, the passivated contact structure comprising:

a first passivated contact region disposed on the silicon substrate, the first passivated contact region comprising a first doped layer, a first passivation layer, and a second doped layer, and

a second passivated contact region disposed on the first passivated contact region, the second passivated contact region comprising a second passivation layer and a third doped layer, wherein the first doped layer, the first passivation layer, the second doped layer, the second passivation layer, and the third doped layer are disposed on the silicon substrate in sequence, and

the other of the first doped region and second doped region includes a fourth doped layer disposed on the back side of the silicon substrate, a fifth doped layer, and a third passivation layer disposed between the fourth and fifth doped layers,

wherein

one of the first doped region and the second doped region is a P-type doped region, the other of the first doped region and the second doped region is an N-type doped region, and

a hole density of a corresponding passivation layer in the P-type doped region is greater than a hole density of a corresponding passivation layer in the N-type doped region.

2. The solar cell according to claim 1 , wherein each of the first and third passivation layers includes a same porous structure, the porous structure including a hole region, and the hole region including:

holes extending through the passivation layer, and

notches not extending through the passivation layer.

3. The solar cell according to claim 2 , wherein

a part of the first doped layer is located in the first passivation layer, and a part of the second doped layer is located in the first passivation layer; and

the part of the first doped layer is connected to the part of the second doped layer in the holes of the first passivation layer.

4. The solar cell according to claim 2 , wherein

a part of the first doped layer is located in the first passivation layer, and a part of the second doped layer is located in the first passivation layer; and

the part of the first doped layer and/or the part of the second doped layer are located in the notches of the first passivation layer.

5. The solar cell according to claim 2 , wherein

a part of the first doped layer is located in the first passivation layer, and a part of the second doped layer is located in the first passivation layer; and

the part of the first doped layer and the part of the second doped layer are located in the notches of the first passivation layer and are separated by a portion of the first passivation layer.

6. The solar cell according to claim 2 , wherein the hole region of each of the first and third passivation layers further includes gap regions.

7. The solar cell according to claim 2 , wherein

a part of the first doped layer and/or a part of the second doped layer are located in the hole region of the first passivation layer and further include impurities.

8. The solar cell according to claim 2 , wherein

the porous structure of each of the first and third passivation layers further includes a non-hole region, the non-hole region having a dopant with a same doping type as the first doped layer and/or the second doped layer.

9. The solar cell according to claim 2 , wherein

a ratio of an area of the hole region to an entire area of the passivation layer is less than 20%; and/or

an average pore size of the holes in the hole region is less than 20 μm.

10. The solar cell according to claim 2 , wherein pore sizes of 90% of all of the holes are less than 20 μm.

11. The solar cell according to claim 2 , wherein

a thickness of the corresponding passivation layer in the P-type doped region is greater than a thickness of the corresponding passivation layer in the N-type doped region.

12. The solar cell according to claim 1 , wherein

a doping concentration of the first doped layer is between a doping concentration of the silicon substrate and a doping concentration of the second doped layer, and/or

the doping concentration of the first doped layer is less than the doping concentration of the second doped layer.

13. The solar cell according to claim 1 , wherein

the first doped layer and the second doped layer have a same doping polarity, different than the third doped layer.

14. The solar cell according to claim 1 , wherein the first doped layer and the second doped layer have a same type of dopant.

15. The solar cell according to claim 1 , wherein the silicon substrate is a monocrystalline silicon wafer doped with a group-III or group-V element.

16. The solar cell according to claim 1 , wherein the first doped layer is a monocrystalline silicon wafer doped with a group-V element.

17. The solar cell according to claim 1 , wherein

a thickness of the second passivation layer is greater than a thickness of the first passivation layer.

18. The solar cell according to claim 17 , wherein

the thickness of the first passivation layer is in a range of 0.5 nm-10 nm; and

the thickness of the second passivation layer is in a range of 5 nm-150 nm.

19. The solar cell according to claim 1 , wherein

the first passivation layer and/or the second passivation layer include an oxide layer, a silicon carbide layer, an amorphous silicon layer, or a combination thereof, and

the oxide layer comprises one or more of a silicon oxide layer and an aluminum oxide layer.

20. The solar cell according to claim 1 , wherein

each of the second doped layer and the third doped layer comprises a polysilicon doped layer, a silicon carbide doped layer, and/or an amorphous silicon doped layer.

21. The solar cell according to claim 20 , wherein

the silicon carbide doped layer in the second doped layer or the third doped layer comprises at least one silicon carbide doped film; and

refractive indexes of the at least one silicon carbide doped films decreases from the silicon substrate toward outside of the solar cell.

22. The solar cell according to claim 20 , wherein

the silicon carbide doped layer in the second doped layer and/or in the third doped layer comprises a hydrogenated silicon carbide doped layer, and

a conductivity of the hydrogenated silicon carbide doped layer is greater than 0.01 S·cm;

and a thickness of the hydrogenated silicon carbide doped layer is greater than 10 nm.

23. A solar cell, comprising:

a silicon substrate;

a first doped region and a second doped region, spaced apart on a back side of the silicon substrate and having opposite polarities;

a first dielectric layer, disposed on a front side of the silicon substrate; and

a second dielectric layer, disposed between the first doped region and the second doped region;

wherein one of the first doped region and the second doped region includes a passivated contact structure, the passivated contact structure comprising

a first passivated contact region disposed on the silicon substrate, the first passivated contact region comprising a first doped layer, a first passivation layer, and a second doped layer, and

a second passivated contact region disposed on the first passivated contact region, the second passivated contact region comprising a second passivation layer and a third doped layer, wherein the first doped layer, the first passivation layer, the second doped layer, the second passivation layer, and the third doped layer are disposed on the silicon substrate in sequence, and

the other of the first doped region and the second doped region includes a fourth doped layer disposed on the back side of the silicon substrate, a fifth doped layer, and a third passivation layer disposed between the fourth and fifth doped layers,

wherein

one of the first doped region and the second doped region is a P-type doped region, the other of the first doped region and the second doped region is an N-type doped region, and

a hole density of a corresponding passivation layer in the P-type doped region is greater than a hole density of a corresponding passivation layer in the N-type doped region.

24. The solar cell according to claim 23 , wherein

the second passivated contact region of the passivated contact structure comprises an opening for connecting a first conductive layer of the solar cell to the first passivated contact region, and

a second conductive layer connects to the fifth doped layer on the back side of the silicon substrate.

25. The solar cell according to claim 24 , wherein

the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer include transparent conductive oxide layer (TCO) transparent conductive films and/or metal electrodes.

26. The solar cell according to claim 23 , wherein

the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer each include an aluminum oxide layer, a silicon nitride layer, a silicon oxynitride layer, a silicon carbide layer, an amorphous silicon layer, a silicon oxide layer, or a combination thereof.

27. The solar cell according to claim 26 , wherein

the first dielectric layer and/or the second dielectric layer comprise the aluminum oxide layer and the silicon carbide layer, or the silicon oxide layer and the silicon carbide layer; and

a thickness of the first dielectric layer is greater than 50 nm, and a thickness of the second dielectric layer is greater than 25 nm.

28. The solar cell according to claim 27 , wherein

a thickness of the aluminum oxide layer or the silicon oxide layer in the first dielectric layer is less than 40 nm,

a thickness of the aluminum oxide layer or the silicon oxide layer in the second dielectric layer is less than 25 nm, and a thickness of the silicon carbide layer in the first dielectric layer and/or in the second dielectric layer is greater than 10 nm.

29. The solar cell according to claim 26 , wherein

the silicon carbide layer in the first dielectric layer and/or in the second dielectric layer comprises at least one silicon carbide film; and

refractive indexes of the at least one silicon carbide film decreases from the silicon substrate toward outside of the solar cell.

30. The solar cell according to claim 23 , wherein

an electric field layer or a floating junction is further disposed between the front side of the silicon substrate and the second dielectric layer.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 24, 2025
From: SOLARLAB AIKO EUROPE GMBH
To: ZHEJIANG AIKO SOLAR ENERGY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.; ZHUHAI FUSHAN AIKO SOLAR ENERGY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.; TIANJIN AIKO SOLAR ENERGY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.; GUANGDONG AIKO SOLAR ENERGY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 070931/0561 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 23, 2024
From: CHEN, GANG; XU, WENLI; QIU, KAIFU; WANG, YONGQIAN; YANG, XINQIANG
To: SOLARLAB AIKO EUROPE GMBH
Reel/Frame 068491/0820 →
Priority Claims (2)
CN 202110828475.X · Jul 22, 2021 · national
CN 202110828478.3 · Jul 22, 2021 · national
Continuity (4)
Continuation 18657783 · May 8, 2024
Continuation 17862359 · Jul 11, 2022
Continuation In Part 17509060 · Oct 24, 2021
Related Publication 20240363790A1 · Oct 31, 2024
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