Patent ID: 8153890
Filing Date: 2012-04-10
Classification: H01L,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A solar cell having adjacent regions of oppositely doped semiconductor material forming a pn junction substantially parallel to front and rear surfaces of the solar cell and a contact structure contacting the semiconductor material of one of the dopant types, the contact structure comprising: i) a plurality of depressions formed in a surface of the semiconductor material, in which semiconductor material regions forming internal wall surface regions' of the depressions are doped to the polarity of one of the semiconductor regions of the junction with which they are in electrical communication, the pn junction extending between said wall surface regions and the other oppositely doped region of the pn junction; ii) a dielectric layer formed over the surface of the semiconductor material of the cell and extending into the depressions, the dielectric layer being thinner or non-existent in a portion of each depression; and iii) a screen printed metal contact structure comprising screen printed metal fingers formed over the dielectric layer and electrically isolated from the front surface of the solar cell by the dielectric layer, the screen printed metal fingers crossing the depressions and extending into the depressions at each crossing to contact the semiconductor material regions forming internal wall surface regions in the depressions through the dielectric layer.