Solar cell and method for manufacturing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9935212-B2
Application number	US-91740810-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 1, 2010
Priority date	Dec 21, 2009
Publication date	Apr 3, 2018
Grant date	Apr 3, 2018

Abstract

A solar cell and a method for manufacturing the same are disclosed. The solar cell includes a first conductive type substrate, an emitter layer of a second conductive type opposite the first conductive type, the emitter layer and the substrate forming a p-n junction, a plurality of first electrodes electrically connected to the emitter layer, and a second electrode electrically connected to the substrate. At least one of the plurality of first electrodes includes a first electrode layer, a plurality of first electrode auxiliaries separated from the first electrode layer, and a second electrode layer positioned on an upper surface and a lateral surface of the first electrode layer and on an upper surface and a lateral surface of each of the plurality of first electrode auxiliaries.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A solar cell, comprising:
a first conductive type substrate;
an emitter layer of a second conductive type opposite the first conductive type, the emitter layer and the substrate forming a p-n junction;
an anti-reflection layer positioned on the emitter region and having an opening;
a plurality of first electrodes electrically connected to the emitter layer through the opening of the anti-reflection layer, at least one of the plurality of first electrodes including a first electrode layer, a plurality of first electrode auxiliaries separated from the first electrode layer by gaps between the first electrode layer and the plurality of first electrode auxiliaries, and a second electrode layer positioned directly on the first electrode layer, positioned directly on the plurality of first electrode auxiliaries and in the gaps, thereby wrapping around the first electrode layer and the plurality of first electrode auxiliaries and being disposed between the first electrode layer and the plurality of first electrode auxiliaries; and
a second electrode electrically connected to the substrate,
wherein the first electrode layer is positioned directly on the emitter layer,
wherein the plurality of first electrode auxiliaries are positioned directly on the emitter layer,
wherein the second electrode layer covers all exposed surfaces of the first electrode layer and the plurality of first electrode auxiliaries, and
wherein a width of the first electrode layer in a first direction crossing a longitudinal direction of the first electrode layer is wider than a width of the plurality of first electrode auxiliaries in the first direction.

2. The solar cell of claim 1 , wherein the first electrode layer and each first electrode auxiliary have the same density.

3. The solar cell of claim 1 , wherein the first electrode layer and each first electrode auxiliary each have a different density from the second electrode layer.

4. The solar cell of claim 3 , wherein a density of the first electrode layer and a density of each first electrode auxiliary are less than a density of the second electrode layer.

5. The solar cell of claim 1 , further comprising at least one current collector connected to the plurality of first electrodes.

6. The solar cell of claim 5 , wherein the at least one current collector includes a first current collector layer, a plurality of second electrode auxiliaries separated from the first current collector layer, and a second current collector layer positioned on an upper surface and a lateral surface of the first current collector layer and on an upper surface and a lateral surface of each of the plurality of second electrode auxiliaries.

7. The solar cell of claim 6 , wherein a plurality of first electrode layers of the plurality of first electrodes extend in a direction crossing the first current collector layer of the at least one current collector.

8. The solar cell of claim 6 , wherein the first electrode layer and the plurality of first electrode auxiliaries have the same density as the first current collector layer and the second electrode auxiliaries.

9. The solar cell of claim 6 , wherein the second electrode layer has the same density as the second current collector layer.

10. The solar cell of claim 9 , wherein a density of the first current collector layer and a density of each second electrode auxiliary are less than the density of the second current collector layer.

11. The solar cell of claim 6 , wherein the first electrode layer, the plurality of first electrode auxiliaries, the first current collector layer, and the plurality of second electrode auxiliaries are formed of the same material.

12. The solar cell of claim 6 , wherein the second electrode layer and the second current collector layer are formed of the same material.

13. The solar cell of claim 12 , wherein the first electrode layer, the plurality of first electrode auxiliaries, the first current collector layer, and the plurality of second electrode auxiliaries are formed of different materials.

14. The solar cell of claim 1 , wherein an upper surface of the plurality of first electrodes is projected towards a light incident surface of the substrate.

15. The solar cell of claim 1 , wherein the second electrode layer is positioned between the first electrode layer and the plurality of first electrode auxiliaries, and between adjacent ones of the plurality of first electrode auxiliaries.

16. The solar cell of claim 1 , wherein the second electrode layer is connected to the emitter layer, and positioned directly on the emitter layer.

17. The solar cell of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first electrode auxiliaries are positioned to be spaced apart from each other between two adjacent portions of the anti-reflection layer.

18. The solar cell of claim 1 , wherein lower surfaces of the first electrode layer, the plurality of first electrode auxiliaries and the second electrode layer are positioned in the same layer.

19. The solar cell of claim 1 , wherein the exposed surfaces of the first electrode layer and the plurality of first electrode auxiliaries are surfaces thereof that are not in direct physical contact with the emitter layer.

20. The solar cell of claim 1 , wherein the anti-reflection layer is positioned between the first electrode layer and the plurality of first electrode auxiliaries, and
wherein the second electrode layer is positioned on the first electrode layer, the plurality of first electrode auxiliaries, and a portion of the anti-reflection layer between the first electrode layer and the plurality of first electrode auxiliaries.

Assignees

• Ahn Junyong
• Lee Younghyun
• Lee Jinhyung
• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Ahn Junyong
• Lee Younghyun
• Lee Jinhyung

Classifications

• H01L31/022425

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L31/022433 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L31/068

  Electricity · mapped topic

• Y02E10/547

  Monocrystalline silicon PV cells · CPC title

• H10F77/211

  for photovoltaic cells · CPC title