Patent ID: 8101852

Claim:
A single-sided contact solar cell comprising: (a) an absorber layer including plated-through holes, each having a first end and a second end, one of the first and second ends of the plated-through holes being associated with a first side of the absorber layer while another one of the first and second ends of the plated-through holes is associated with a second side of the absorber layer, (b) an emitter layer disposed on the first side of the absorber layer, the emitter layer including one or more semiconductor materials having different dopants, (c) a field passivation layer disposed on the second side of the absorber layer; (d) a contact grid covered on a top surface thereof with an insulation layer and electrically connected to the first end of the plated-through holes; and (e) a contact layer, wherein: (i) the contact grid and contact layer are disposed together on one side of the absorber layer and insulated with respect to each other and electrically contacted from outside of the solar cell; (ii) the contact grid is disposed between the absorber layer and the emitter layer or the field passivation layer, and the contact layer is disposed on the emitter layer or on the field passivation layer so that both the contact grid and contact layer are disposed on a top surface of the solar cell; (iii) the emitter layer or the field passivation layer is electrically connected to the second end of the plated-through holes; and (iv) where the second end of the plated-through holes is electrically connected to the emitter layer, the absorber layer and the contact grid are electrically insulated from each other.