IP Library Granted Patent US 8,952,244
Granted Patent B2
US 8,952,244 · App. 13/089,321 · Granted Feb 10, 2015

Solar cell

Inventors: Yen-Cheng Hu (New Taipei, TW); Peng Chen (New Taipei, TW); Shuo-Wei Liang (Hsinchu County, TW); Zhen-Cheng Wu (Taichung, TW)
Assignee: Au Optronics Corporation
H01L31/02168H01L31/022441H01L31/035209H01L31/035227H01L31/0682Y02E10/547
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,952,244
App. No.
13/089,321
Granted
Feb 10, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

A solar cell includes a semiconductor substrate, a doping layer, a quantum well layer, a first passivation layer, a second passivation layer, a first electrode and a second electrode. The semiconductor substrate has a front surface and a back surface, and the front surface of the semiconductor substrate includes nano-rods. The doping layer covers the surface of the nano-rods. The electrode layers cover the doping layer. The quantum well layer having at least one first doping region and at least one second doping region is disposed on the semiconductor substrate. The quantum well layer includes polycrystalline silicon germanium (Si 1-x Ge x ). The first passivation layer and the second passivation layer cover the first and the second doping regions of the quantum well layer, respectively. The first electrode and the second electrode are electrically connected to the first doping region and the second doping region of the quantum well layer, respectively.

Claims (24)

1. A solar cell, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate having a front surface and a back surface, wherein the front surface of the semiconductor substrate has a plurality of nano-rods extending from the front surface, a height of the nano-rods is 0.005 to 20 μm, a width of the nano-rods is 0.005 to 5 μm, and a distance between the adjacent nano-rods is 0.005 to 5 μm;

a doping layer, disposed on a surface of the nano-rods;

a front anti-reflective layer covering the doping layer, wherein a material of the front anti-reflective layer is indium tin oxide;

a quantum well layer disposed on the back surface of the semiconductor substrate, the quantum well layer having at least one first doping region and at least one second doping region, wherein the first doping region and the second doping region have opposite conductivity types, the quantum well layer comprises a first polycrystalline silicon germanium (Si 1-x Ge x ) layer, and the value of x is 0≦x≦1;

a first passivation layer, covering the first doping region of the quantum well layer, wherein the first passivation layer comprises a N-type doping passivation material and a first passivation material, and wherein the N-type doping passivation material is sandwiched between the first passivation material and the first doping region;

a second passivation layer, covering the second doping region of the quantum well layer and the N-type doping passivation material, wherein the second passivation layer comprises a P-type doping passivation material and a second passivation material, the P-type doping passivation material is sandwiched between the second passivation material and the second doping region; and

at least one first metal electrode and at least one second metal electrode contacting and passing through the P-type doping passivation material to be electrically connected to the first doping region and the second doping region of the quantum well layer, respectively.

2. The solar cell of claim 1 , further comprising:

an auxiliary passivation layer disposed between the semiconductor substrate and the quantum well layer; and

a backside reflective layer, covering the first passivation layer and the second passivation layer.

3. The solar cell of claim 1 , wherein the quantum well layer further comprises at least one second polycrystalline silicon germanium (Si 1-y Ge y ) alternatively stacked with the first polycrystalline silicon germanium (Si 1-x Ge x ), wherein 0≦x<1 and 0≦y<1.

4. The solar cell of claim 1 , wherein the doping layer conformably covers the surface of nano-rods so that a plurality of spaces between the nano-rods are not fully filled.

5. The solar cell of claim 4 , wherein the front anti-reflective layer conformably covers and contacts the doping layer so that the spaces between the nano-rods are not fully filled by the front anti-reflective layer.

6. A solar cell, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate having a front surface and a back surface, wherein the front surface of the semiconductor substrate has a plurality of nano-rods extending from the front surface, a height of the nano-rods is 3 to 20 μm, a width of the nano-rods is 0.1 to 5 μm, and a distance between the adjacent nano-rods is 0.1 to 5 μm;

a doping layer, disposed on a surface of the nano-rods;

a front anti-reflective layer covering the doping layer, wherein a material of the front anti-reflective layer comprises indium tin oxide, indium zinc oxide, aluminum tin oxide, aluminum zinc oxide, indium germanium zinc oxide, a stacked layer of at least two of the above materials, or a combination thereof;

a quantum well layer disposed on the back surface of the semiconductor substrate, the quantum well layer having at least one first doping region and at least one second doping region, wherein the first doping region and the second doping region have opposite conductivity types;

a first passivation layer, covering the first doping region of the quantum well layer, wherein the first passivation layer comprises a N-type doping passivation material and a first passivation material, and wherein the N-type doping passivation material is sandwiched between the first passivation material and the first doping region;

a second passivation layer, covering the second doping region of the quantum well layer and the N-type doping passivation material, wherein the second passivation layer comprises a P-type doping passivation material and a second passivation material, the P-type doping passivation material is sandwiched between the second passivation material and the second doping region; and

at least one first metal electrode and at least one second metal electrode contacting and passing through the P-type doping passivation material to be electrically connected to the first doping region and the second doping region of the quantum well layer, respectively.

7. The solar cell of claim 6 , wherein the doping layer conformably covers the surface of nano-rods so that a plurality of spaces between the nano-rods are not fully filled.

8. The solar cell of claim 7 , wherein the front anti-reflective layer conformably covers and contacts the doping layer so that the spaces between the nano-rods are not fully filled by the front anti-reflective layer.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 21, 2011
From: HU, YEN-CHENG; CHEN, PENG; LIANG, SHUO-WEI; WU, ZHEN-CHENG
To: AU OPTRONICS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 026160/0262 →
Priority Claims (1)
TW 99146606 A · Dec 29, 2010 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20120167973A1 · Jul 5, 2012