Patent ID: 9130092
Filing Date: 2015-09-08
Classification: G02B,H01L,H02S,Y02E,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A photovoltaic solar cell formed on a semiconductor substrate having a principal surface, comprising: a plurality of doped regions extending depthwise from the principal surface into the semiconductor substrate, wherein some of the doped regions have n-type conductivity, some have p-type conductivity, and each doped region of one said conductivity type is adjacent to one or more doped regions of the opposite conductivity type; a plurality of spaced-apart, transverse semiconductor junctions, wherein each said junction is formed between a said n-type doped region and an adjacent said p-type doped region such that each said junction has an n-type side and a p-type side; and two contacts formed on the semiconductor substrate over the principal surface, wherein the principal surface on which the two contacts are formed is on an opposite side from where the sunlight enters the photovoltaic solar cell when the cell is in use, wherein one said contact connects the n-type sides of all of the junctions in parallel and the other contact connects the p-type sides of all of the junctions in parallel; wherein the doped regions of one said conductivity type are regions of polycrystalline silicon fill extending into the semiconductor substrate and the doped regions of the other said conductivity type are doped regions of monocrystalline semiconductor substrate material.