IP Library Granted Patent US 8,980,673
Granted Patent B2
US 8,980,673 · App. 14/168,920 · Granted Mar 17, 2015

Solar cell and method of manufacturing the same

Inventors: Keon Jae Lee (Daejeon, KR); Sang Yong Lee (Gwangju, KR); Seung Jun Kim (Daejeon, KR)
Assignees: LG Siltron Incorporated; Korea Advanced Institute of Science
H01L31/1856H01L31/0304H01L31/0392H01L31/1852H01L31/0725Y02E10/544
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,980,673
App. No.
14/168,920
Granted
Mar 17, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided are a solar cell and a method of manufacturing the same. The method of manufacturing the solar cell includes stacking a solar cell device layer containing GaN on a sacrificial substrate, etching the solar cell device layer to expose the sacrificial substrate, thereby forming one or more solar cell devices comprising the solar cell device layer, anisotropically etching the exposed sacrificial substrate, contacting the solar cell devices to a stamping processor to remove the solar cell devices from the sacrificial substrate, and transferring the solar cell devices onto a receiving substrate. A high temperature semiconductor process may be performed on a substrate such as a silicon substrate to transfer the solar cell devices onto the substrate, thereby manufacturing flexible solar cells. Also, a large number of solar cells may be excellently aligned on a large area. In addition, economical solar cells may be manufactured.

Claims (15)

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

doping p-type impurities into a silicon substrate to form a p-doped layer;

stacking a solar cell device layer containing InGaN on the silicon substrate to form a solar cell device having one or more tandem structure of a lower silicon solar cell device layer comprising the p-doped layer and an upper GaN solar cell comprising a GaN solar cell device layer;

stacking a protection layer on the solar cell device layer having the tandem structure to pattern the protection layer;

etching the entire device layer and the lower silicon substrate by a predetermined depth in a vertical direction;

forming spacers on lateral surfaces of the etched device layer and the silicon substrate etched by the predetermined depth;

anisotropically etching the silicon substrate exposed between the spacers; contacting the solar cell devices to a stamping processor to remove the solar cell devices from the sacrificial substrate;

transferring the solar cell devices onto a receiving substrate; and

stacking an ohmic contact connected to a silicon layer that is a n-type electrode on the exposed lower silicon substrate serving as a n-type solar cell layer of the silicon solar cell device layer.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the GaN solar cell device layer has a structure in which an AlN buffer layer, a high concentration p+-GaN layer, a high concentration n+-GaN layer, an n-GaN layer, an InGaN layer, and a p-GaN layer are sequentially stacked.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the silicon has a crystal structure, and the anisotropic etch is performed in a direction.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more solar cell devices having the tandem structure are arranged in a plurality of rows, and one or more solar cells are disposed in each of the rows.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising exposing at least portions of the p-GaN layer of the solar cell device layer and the lower silicon substrate to stack metal layers on at least portions of the exposed region.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal layers are electrically connected to each other in correspondence with their polarities.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving substrate is a flexible substrate.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 2, 2015
From: LEE, KEON JAE; LEE, SANG YONG; KIM, SEUNG JUN
To: SILTRON INC.; KOREA ADVANCED INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE
Reel/Frame 034867/0026 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 14, 2014
From: SILTRON INC.
To: LG SILTRON INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 032449/0445 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2009-0087818 · Sep 17, 2009 · national
Continuity (2)
Division 12875807 · Sep 3, 2010
Related Publication 20140147957A1 · May 29, 2014