Solar Cell Rear Electrode Contact Area Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solar cell manufacturing methods do not effectively enhance the operation efficiency by optimizing the contact areas between the substrate and electrodes, leading to variations in contact characteristics and passivation layer performance.
Innovation Solution
The method involves forming exposing portions on the passivation layer with controlled angles and cross-sectional areas to increase the contact area between the substrate and rear electrodes, thereby improving the solar cell's operation characteristics by uniformizing the contact and passivation layer functions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the contact area between substrate and electrodes is increased to improve operation efficiency, then the operation characteristic is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the continuous passivation layer into multiple discrete exposing portions, each providing a controlled contact area between the substrate and electrodes. This segmentation allows for uniform distribution of contact points across the substrate surface, improving both operation characteristic and manufacturing precision by making the contact areas more controllable and less variable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating specific exposing portions with controlled cross-sectional areas at predetermined locations on the substrate. Instead of uniform contact across the entire surface, the passivation layer is selectively removed only where electrode contact is needed, allowing optimization of contact properties in specific local regions while maintaining passivation elsewhere.
2Reliability
If the contact area between substrate and electrodes is increased to reduce contact resistance, then the charge transfer efficiency is improved, but the deviation in contact areas increases leading to non-uniform operation characteristics
Solution Approach 1:
The patent controls the cross-sectional area of each exposing portion within a specific range (0.1-10 μm²) to optimize the balance between contact area and uniformity. By carefully selecting and controlling this parameter, the patent achieves sufficient contact area for low resistance while maintaining uniformity across all exposing portions, preventing deviation in operation characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary patterning of the passivation layer to create exposing portions before electrode formation. This preliminary action defines the exact contact areas and locations in advance, ensuring uniformity is built into the structure from the beginning rather than attempting to achieve it during subsequent processing steps.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances the solar cell's operation efficiency by increasing the contact area between the substrate and electrodes, reducing contact resistance, and minimizing the deviation in contact areas, resulting in improved charge transfer efficiency and reduced defective rates.
Implementation Method 1
a laser beam is irradiated to correspondingly form a plurality of exposing portions 181 to expose portions of the substrate 110
Implementation Method 2
Each of the electron-hole pairs is separated into electrons and holes by the photovoltaic effect
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3(a)~3(d)
AI summary
A solar cell and a method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. The solar cell includes a substrate of a first conductive type; an emitter layer of a second conductive type opposite the first conductive type; at least one first electrode on the emitter layer and electrically connected to the emitter layer; a passivation layer on the substrate, the passivation layer including a plurality of exposing portions to expose respective portions of the substrate; and an electrode conductive layer on the passivation layer, the electrode conductive layer including a plurality of second electrodes electrically connected to the respective plurality of exposing portions, wherein in each of the plurality of exposing portions, an area of an exposed surface of the substrate is greater than an area of a virtual interface that is coplanar with an interface between the substrate and the passivation layer and which is located over the exposed surface.