Title:
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SELF-DOPING NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE ELECTRODES FOR SILICON SOLAR CELLS AND OTHER DEVICES
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO1998050944
Kind Code:
A3
Abstract:
A self-doping electrode to silicon is formed primarily from a metal (major component) which forms a eutectic with silicon. A p-type dopant (for a positive electrode) or an n-type dopant (for a negative electrode) is alloyed with the major component. The alloy of major component and dopant is applied to a silicon substrate. Once applied, the alloy and substrate are heated to a temperature above the major component-silicon eutectic temperature such that the major component liquefies more than a eutectic proportion of the silicon substrate. The temperature is then decreased towards the eutectic temperature permitting molten silicon to reform through liquid-phase epitaxy and while so doing incorporate dopant atoms into its regrown lattice. Once the temperature drops below the major component-silicon eutectic temperature the silicon, which has not already regrown into the lattice, forms a solid-phase alloy with the major component and the remaining unused dopant. This allow of major component, silicon and unused dopant is the final contact material. Alternatively, a self-doping electrode may be formed from an unalloyed metal applied to a silicon substrate. The metal and substrate are heated to a temperature above the metal-silicon eutectic temperature in an ambient gas into which a source of vaporized dopant atoms has been introduced. Dopant atoms in the ambient gas are absorbed by the molten mixture of metal-silicon to a much greater extent than they are absorbed by the solid silicon substrate surfaces. The temperature is then decreased to below the metal-silicon eutectic temperature. During this temperature decrease, the doped regrown silicon layer and the metal-silicon alloy final contact material are created in the same process as described above.
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Inventors:
MEIER DANIEL L
DAVIS HUBERT P
DAVIS HUBERT P
Application Number:
PCT/US1998/009190
Publication Date:
May 27, 1999
Filing Date:
May 05, 1998
Export Citation:
Assignee:
EBARA SOLAR INC (US)
International Classes:
H01L21/28; H01L21/228; H01L31/04; H01L31/068; H01L31/18; H01L33/00; H01L; (IPC1-7): H01L31/18; H01L31/068; H01L21/228
Domestic Patent References:
| WO1997013280A1 | 1997-04-10 |
Foreign References:
| US2998334A | 1961-08-29 | |||
| AU3945268A | 1970-02-05 | |||
| US5260604A | 1993-11-09 | |||
| FR1540917A | 1968-10-04 | |||
| GB1416964A | 1975-12-10 | |||
| DE2939541A1 | 1981-04-16 | |||
| US4315097A | 1982-02-09 |
Other References:
VYSOTSKII V N ET AL: "PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS WITH ALUMINUM ALLOY CONTACTS AND A BASE PARTIALLY DOPED WITH LITHIUM", APPLIED SOLAR ENERGY (GELIOTEKHNIKA), vol. 27, no. 3, 1 January 1991 (1991-01-01), pages 16 - 19, XP000241686
CHEEK C ET AL: "ALUMINUM ALLOY HIGH EFFICIENCY SOLAR CELLS", 18TH PHOTOVOLTAIC SPECIALISTS CONFERENCE, LAS VEGAS, OCT. 21 - 25, 1985, vol. 1, 21 October 1985 (1985-10-21) - 25 October 1985 (1985-10-25), INSTITUTE OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERS, pages 190 - 191, XP000132007
CHEEK C ET AL: "ALUMINUM ALLOY HIGH EFFICIENCY SOLAR CELLS", 18TH PHOTOVOLTAIC SPECIALISTS CONFERENCE, LAS VEGAS, OCT. 21 - 25, 1985, vol. 1, 21 October 1985 (1985-10-21) - 25 October 1985 (1985-10-25), INSTITUTE OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERS, pages 190 - 191, XP000132007
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