Patent ID: 8772068
Filing Date: 2014-07-08
Classification: H01L,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A method of forming emitter contacts on a surface emitter of a silicon solar cell comprising a substrate of silicon material, the method comprising: (i) forming the surface emitter by performing an n-type diffusion of a surface of the substrate to form an emitter surface layer; (ii) etching back the surface of the substrate to achieve a dopant concentration at the surface of the substrate of less than 10 (iii) depositing a surface dielectric layer or layers onto the etched back surface of the substrate; (iv) patterning the dielectric layer or layers in localized areas to expose regions of a silicon surface of the substrate where contacts are to be formed; and (v) selectively plating the silicon surface of the substrate in the exposed regions where contacts are to be formed to make an electrical connection to the emitter surface layer.