Abstract:
One embodiment of the present invention provides a solar module. The solar module includes a front-side cover, a back-side cover, and a plurality of solar cells situated between the front- and back-side covers. A respective solar cell includes a multi-layer semiconductor structure, a front-side electrode situated above the multi-layer semiconductor structure, and a back-side electrode situated below the multi-layer semiconductor structure. Each of the front-side and the back-side electrodes comprises a metal grid. A respective metal grid comprises a plurality of finger lines and a single busbar coupled to the finger lines. The single busbar is configured to collect current from the finger lines.
Abstract:
One embodiment of the present invention provides a solar cell. The solar cell includes a substrate, a first heavily doped crystalline-Si (c-Si) layer situated above the substrate, a lightly doped c-Si layer situated above the first heavily doped crystalline-Si layer, a second heavily doped c-Si layer situated above the lightly doped c-Si layer, a front side electrode grid situated above the second heavily doped c-Si layer, and a backside electrode grid situated on the backside of the substrate.
Abstract:
One embodiment of the present invention can provide a system for fabricating a photovoltaic structure. The system can include a combined chemical vapor deposition tool that can include a static deposition module and an inline deposition module. The static deposition module can be configured to deposit a first passivation layer on a first side of a crystalline Si base layer of the photovoltaic structure. The inline deposition module is configured to deposit a second passivation layer on the first passivation layer, and the inline deposition module is coupled to the static deposition module in a way that the photovoltaic structure can be transferred from the static deposition module to the inline deposition module without leaving a common vacuum space.
Abstract:
One embodiment of the present invention provides a solar cell that includes a crystalline silicon base layer, a first quantum tunneling barrier layer deposited on a first side of the base layer, and a second quantum tunneling barrier layer deposited on a second side of the base layer. The solar cell further includes a doped amorphous silicon emitter layer positioned on the first side of the base layer. The first quantum tunneling barrier layer is between the emitter layer and the base layer. Also included is a doped amorphous silicon surface field layer positioned on the second side of the base layer. The second quantum tunneling barrier layer is between the surface field layer and the base layer. The solar cell further includes a transparent conductive oxide layer adjacent to the emitter layer or surface field layer. The transparent conductive oxide layer comprises hydrogen and indium oxide, indium-titanium-oxide, or indium-tungsten-oxide.
Abstract:
A substrate processing system that includes a substrate processing chamber having one or more sidewalls that at least partially define a substrate processing region and extend away from a bottom wall of the substrate processing chamber at an obtuse angle; a source material holder configured to hold a source material within the substrate processing region; a plasma gun operatively coupled to introduce a plasma beam into the substrate processing region; one or more magnets operatively arranged to generate a magnetic field that guides the plasma beam to the source material holder; and a substrate carrier configured to hold one or more substrates within the substrate processing region.
Abstract:
A wafer carrier for carrying solar cell wafers during a deposition process is described. The carrier is coated with pyrolytic carbon, silicon carbide, or a ceramic material, and is adapted to receive and support the wafers.
Abstract:
One embodiment of the present invention provides a solar module. The solar module includes a front-side cover, a back-side cover, and a plurality of solar cells situated between the front- and back-side covers. A respective solar cell includes a multi-layer semiconductor structure, a front-side electrode situated above the multi-layer semiconductor structure, and a back-side electrode situated below the multi-layer semiconductor structure. Each of the front-side and the back-side electrodes comprises a metal grid. A respective metal grid comprises a plurality of finger lines and a single busbar coupled to the finger lines. The single busbar is configured to collect current from the finger lines.
Abstract:
One embodiment of the present invention provides a double-sided heterojunction solar cell module. The solar cell includes a frontside glass cover, a backside glass cover situated below the frontside glass cover, and a number of solar cells situated between the frontside glass cover and the backside glass cover. Each solar cell includes a semiconductor multilayer structure situated below the frontside glass cover, including: a frontside electrode grid, a first layer of heavily doped amorphous Si (a-Si) situated below the frontside electrode, a layer of lightly doped crystalline-Si (c-Si) situated below the first layer of heavily doped a-Si, and a layer of heavily doped c-Si situated below the lightly doped c-Si layer. The solar cell also includes a second layer of heavily doped a-Si situated below the multilayer structure; and a backside electrode situated below the second layer of heavily doped a-Si.
Abstract:
One embodiment of the present invention provides a solar module. The solar module includes a front-side cover, a back-side cover, and a plurality of solar cells situated between the front- and back-side covers. A respective solar cell includes a multi-layer semiconductor structure, a front-side electrode situated above the multi-layer semiconductor structure, and a back-side electrode situated below the multi-layer semiconductor structure. Each of the front-side and the back-side electrodes comprises a metal grid. A respective metal grid comprises a plurality of finger lines and a single busbar coupled to the finger lines. The single busbar is configured to collect current from the finger lines.
Abstract:
One embodiment of the present invention provides a solar cell. The solar cell includes a photovoltaic structure and a front-side metal grid situated above the photovoltaic structure. The front-side metal grid also includes one or more electroplated metal layers. The front-side metal grid includes one or more finger lines, and each end of a respective finger line is coupled to a corresponding end of an adjacent finger line via an additional metal line, thus ensuring that the respective finger line has no open end.