Solar cell and manufacturing method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10121915-B2
Application number	US-201113137573-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 26, 2011
Priority date	Aug 27, 2010
Publication date	Nov 6, 2018
Grant date	Nov 6, 2018

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a solar cell includes forming a passivation layer on a rear surface of a substrate of a first conductivity type; forming connecting electrodes having a plurality of electrical contacts that are in contact with the rear surface of the substrate by using a first paste for a first temperature firing on portions of the passivation layer; and forming a rear electrode layer by using a second paste for a second temperature firing on the passivation layer and the plurality of electrical contacts, wherein a temperature of the second temperature firing is lower than a temperature of the first temperature firing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for manufacturing a solar cell, the method comprising:
forming an emitter region of a second conductivity type on a front surface of a substrate having a first conductivity type that is opposite to the second conductivity type;
forming an anti-reflection layer on the emitter region;
forming a passivation layer on a rear surface of the substrate;
forming via holes in the passivation layer so that portions of the rear surface of the substrate are exposed through the passivation layer, wherein the via holes are formed by irradiating a laser to the passivation layer;
applying a connecting electrode in the via holes by using a first paste having aluminum;
applying a bus bar on the passivation layer by using a second paste having silver, wherein the bus bar is spaced apart from the connecting electrode on the passivation layer;
applying a front electrode on a front surface of the anti-reflection layer by using the second paste having silver;
performing a first firing operation of firing the connecting electrode, the bus bar and the front electrode at a first temperature;
forming a rear electrode layer by using a third paste having aluminum on an entire rear surface of the passivation layer except for an area where the bus bar is formed; and
performing a second firing operation of firing the rear electrode layer at a second temperature lower than the first temperature,
wherein the first firing operation simultaneously performs the following processes:
(1) a back surface field region being formed at an interface between the rear surface of the substrate and the connecting electrode;
(2) the bus bar penetrating into the passivation layer and being contacted to the rear surface of the substrate; and
(3) the front electrode penetrating into the anti-reflection layer and being connected to the emitter region.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein, in the applying of the connecting electrode, the first paste is locally spaced apart and applied in a form of dots so as to be in contact with a rear surface of the passivation layer.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first temperature of the first firing operation ranges from 750° C. to 800° C.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second temperature of the second firing operation ranges from 200° C. to 500° C.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein a height of each bus bar is equal to an added height of the connecting electrode and the rear electrode layer.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the connecting electrode, the front electrode and the bus bar are fired simultaneously by the first firing operation.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein, in the applying of the connecting electrode in the via holes, the first paste contacts the rear surface of the substrate.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein, in the performing of the first firing operation, a eutectic layer including crystalline particles of the aluminum of the connecting electrode and crystalline particles of a silicon material of the substrate is formed between the connecting electrode and the back surface field region.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein a content of the aluminum of the eutectic layer is greater than a content of the aluminum diffused over the back surface field region, and a content of the silicon material contained in the eutectic layer is less than a content of the silicon material contained in the back surface field region.

Assignees

• Lee Daeyong
• Ahn Junyong
• Ko Jihoon
• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Lee Daeyong
• Ahn Junyong
• Ko Jihoon

Classifications

• Y02E10/50

  Photovoltaic [PV] energy · CPC title

• H01L31/18

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L31/022425 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H10F71/00

  Manufacture or treatment of devices covered by this subclass (patterning processes to connect thin photovoltaic cells in integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, having photovoltaic cells H10F19/33; manufacture or treatment of encapsulations or containers for integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, having photovoltaic cells H10F19/80; manufacture or treatment of integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one element in which radiation controls the flow of current H10F39/00) · CPC title

• H10F77/211 Primary

  for photovoltaic cells · CPC title