Patent ID: 8728922

Claim:
A method for producing at least one monocrystalline n-silicon solar cell, the method comprising: depositing a thin layer, formed of one of aluminum and an aluminum-containing material, on a rear-side of an n-silicon wafer; subsequently structuring the thin layer by removing selected portions of the thin layer to define p + -emitter regions that correspond to non-removed portions, the removed portions forming openings that correspond to n ++ -base regions depositing an insulating layer over the thin layer; subsequently depositing a doping material for the n ++ -base regions into the openings; and diffusing the aluminum from the thin layer into the n-silicon wafer in a further process to form a structured emitter layer; wherein: the diffusion of the aluminum as emitter dopant and a diffusion of the doping material for the n ++ -base regions occurs in a common treatment operation; and the p + -emitter regions and the n ++ -base regions are spatially separated on the rear-side of the n-silicon wafer, near the surface, and an interdigitated rear-side contact finger structure is in conductive connection with the p + -emitter regions and the n ++ -base regions.