Patent ID: 9577140
Date: 2017-02-21
CPC Classifications: H01L,Y02E

Claim:
1. A method for fabricating a solar cell, comprising: texturing a front surface of a silicon wafer; fabricating a photovoltaic structure over the front surface of the silicon wafer; fabricating a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer over the photovoltaic structure; and, fabricating front metallization layer in electrical contact with the TCO, by the steps of: forming a mask to delineate the metallization design; sputtering a copper seed layer over the mask; electroplating a copper layer or an alloy with 50% or more of copper over the coper seed layer; and, removing the mask; wherein the method further comprises: treating the TCO to become hydrophilic prior to fabricating the metallization layer by exposing the TCO to plasma having one of CH4/Ar, Ar/H2, or H2 after the step of forming the mask.