Abstract: A solar cell includes a silicon substrate including a front surface for receiving light, and a rear surface opposite the front surface, an emitter diffusion region on the rear surface and doped with a first polarity that is opposite to a polarity of the silicon substrate, a base diffusion region on the rear surface of the substrate and doped with a second polarity that is the same as the polarity of the silicon substrate, and an insulation gap between the emitter diffusion region and the base diffusion region, wherein the base diffusion region has a closed polygonal shape, and wherein the insulation gap is adjacent the base diffusion region.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a solar cell including providing a semiconductor substrate having a first conductivity type; performing a first deposition process that includes forming a first doping material layer having a second conductivity type different from the first conductivity type; performing a drive-in process that includes heating the substrate having the first doping material layer thereon; performing a second deposition process after performing the drive-in process and including forming a second doping material layer on the first doping material layer, wherein the second doping material layer has the second conductivity type; locally heating portions of the substrate, the first doping material layer, and the second doping material layer with a laser to form a contact layer at a first surface of the substrate; and forming a first electrode on the contact layer and a second electrode on a second surface of the substrate opposite to the first surface.

Abstract: A photoelectric device includes a first semiconductor structure and a second semiconductor structure on a substrate, and the first semiconductor structure includes a different conductivity type from the second semiconductor structure. The photoelectric device also includes a first electrode on the first semiconductor structure and a second electrode on the second semiconductor structure, and an interlayer insulating structure adjacent to the second semiconductor structure. The interlayer insulating structure separates the first semiconductor structure from the second semiconductor structure and separates the first semiconductor structure from the second electrode.

Abstract: Provided is a solar cell including: a semiconductive base layer having a first conductivity type; a semiconductive emitter layer disposed on top of the base layer and having a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type; a front electrode disposed on top of the emitter layer; a passivation layer disposed under the base layer and including a contact hole exposing the base layer; and a rear electrode disposed under the passivation layer and connected with the base layer through the contact hole, wherein the rear electrode comprises a silicon (Si)-aluminum (Al) eutectic alloy powder.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a solar cell is presented. The method includes: forming an amorphous silicon layer on a first surface of a light absorbing layer; doping the amorphous silicon layer with a dopant; forming a dopant layer by diffusing the dopant into the amorphous silicon layer with a laser; forming a semiconductor layer by removing the dopant that remains outside the dopant layer; etching the surface of the semiconductor layer by using an etchant; forming a first electrode on the semiconductor layer; and forming a second electrode on a second surface of the light absorbing layer.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a photoelectric conversion device having a semiconductor substrate including a front side and back side, a protective layer formed on the front side of the semiconductor substrate, a first non-single crystalline semiconductor layer formed on the back side of the semiconductor substrate, a first conductive layer including a first impurity formed on a first portion of a back side of the first non-single crystalline semiconductor layer, and a second conductive layer including the first impurity and a second impurity formed on a second portion of the back side of the first non-single crystalline semiconductor layer.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a solar cell, a first dopant layer is formed on a lower surface of a substrate and a diffusion-preventing layer is formed on an upper surface of the substrate. Then, the first dopant layer is patterned to expose portions of the lower surface of the substrate, and a second dopant layer is formed on the exposed portion of the lower surface of the substrate. A third dopant layer is formed on the diffusion-preventing layer, and the substrate is heated to diffuse dopants from the first, second, and third dopant layers into the substrate, thereby forming semiconductor areas in the substrate.

Abstract: A solar cell includes a substrate, a doped pattern, a contact layer, and an electrode. The substrate includes a first surface onto which sunlight is incident and a second surface facing the first surface. The doped pattern is formed on the second surface of the substrate and the contact layer is formed on the doped pattern. The electrode is formed on the contact layer and is electrically connected to the doped pattern. Accordingly, a contact resistance between the substrate and the electrode may be decreased, so that the doped pattern and the electrode may be uniformly formed and a power efficiency of the solar cell may be improved.

Abstract: A solar cell includes a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of contact holes penetrating therethrough, from one surface to the opposing surface and including a part having a first conductive layer selected from p-type and n-type and a part having a second conductive layer different from the first conductive layer and selected from p-type and n-type semiconductor, a first electrode formed on one surface of the semiconductor substrate and electrically connected with the part having the first conductive layer, a second electrode formed on the other surface of the semiconductor substrate and electrically connected with the first electrode, and a third electrode formed on the same surface as in the second electrode and electrically connected with the part having the second conductive layer of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the plurality of contact holes form a contact hole group, and the first electrode and the second electrode are connected through one or more of the plurality of contact holes of the

Abstract: Devices, solar cell structures, and methods of fabrication thereof, are disclosed. Briefly described, one exemplary embodiment of the device, among others, includes: a co-fired p-type silicon substrate, wherein the bulk lifetime is about 20 to 125 ?s; an n+ layer formed on the top-side of the p-silicon substrate; a silicon nitride anti-reflective (AR) layer positioned on the top-side of the n+ layer; a plurality of Ag contacts positioned on portions of the silicon nitride AR layer, wherein the Ag contacts are in electronic communication with the n+-type emitter layer; an uniform Al back-surface field (BSF or p+) layer positioned on the back-side of the p-silicon substrate on the opposite side of the p-type silicon substrate as the n+ layer; and an Al contact layer positioned on the back-side of the Al BSF layer. The device has a fill factor (FF) of about 0.75 to 0.85, an open circuit voltage (VOC) of about 600 to 650 mV, and a short circuit current (JSC) of about 28 to 36 mA/cm2.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments that include a process, an arrangement, and an apparatus for boron diffusion in a wafer. In one representative embodiment, a process is provided in which a boric oxide solution is applied to a surface of the wafer. Thereafter, the wafer is subjected to a fast heat ramp-up associated with a first heating cycle that results in a release of an amount of boron for diffusion into the wafer.

Abstract: An antireflective coating for silicon-based solar cells comprising amorphous silicon carbonitride, wherein the amount of carbon in the silicon carbonitride is from 5 to 25%, a solar cell comprising the antireflective coating, and a method of preparing the antireflective coating.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a photoelectric conversion device having a semiconductor substrate including a front side and back side, a protective layer formed on the front side of the semiconductor substrate, a first non-single crystalline semiconductor layer formed on the back side of the semiconductor substrate, a first conductive layer including a first impurity formed on a first portion of a back side of the first non-single crystalline semiconductor layer, and a second conductive layer including the first impurity and a second impurity formed on a second portion of the back side of the first non-single crystalline semiconductor layer.

Abstract: A solar cell and a method of fabricating the same are provided according to one or more embodiments. According to an embodiment, the solar cell includes a substrate, a back electrode layer formed on the substrate, a light absorbing layer formed on the back electrode layer, and a transparent electrode layer formed on the light absorbing layer, wherein the light absorbing layer is comprised of copper (Cu), gallium (Ga), indium (In), sulfur (S), and selenium (Se) and includes a first concentration region in which concentrations of sulfur (S) gradually decrease in the light absorbing layer going in a first direction from the back electrode layer to the transparent electrode layer.

Abstract: An antireflective coating for silicon-based solar cells comprising amorphous silicon carbonitride, wherein the amount of carbon in the silicon carbonitride is from 5 to 25%, a solar cell comprising the antireflective coating, and a method of preparing the antireflective coating.

Abstract: Devices, solar cell structures, and methods of fabrication thereof, are disclosed. Briefly described, one exemplary embodiment of the device, among others, includes: a co-fired p-type silicon substrate, wherein the bulk lifetime is about 20 to 125 ?s; an n+ layer formed on the top-side of the p-silicon substrate; a silicon nitride anti-reflective (AR) layer positioned on the top-side of the n+ layer; a plurality of Ag contacts positioned on portions of the silicon nitride AR layer, wherein the Ag contacts are in electronic communication with the n+-type emitter layer; an uniform Al back-surface field (BSF or p+) layer positioned on the back-side of the p-silicon substrate on the opposite side of the p-type silicon substrate as the n+ layer; and an Al contact layer positioned on the back-side of the Al BSF layer. The device has a fill factor (FF) of about 0.75 to 0.85, an open circuit voltage (VOC) of about 600 to 650 mV, and a short circuit current (JSC) of about 28 to 36 mA/cm2.

Abstract: A pn junction solar cell includes a pn junction structure including a p-type and a n-type semiconducting layer, a front contact electrode formed on the front surface of the pn junction structure through a contact pattern having a constant width, and a rear contact electrode formed on a rear surface of the pn structure. The front contact electrode is reduced in its width as it goes away from a terminal.

Abstract: A textured semiconductor wafer for a solar cell includes a plurality of grooves being formed on a surface of the semiconductor wafer. The grooves are formed in the step of depositing a protector in the form of islands on the surface by spray process or screen-printing process, dipping the wafer into an isotropic etching solution to etch a portion of the surface where the protector is not deposited, and removing the protector.

Abstract: A solar cell using a ferroelectric material(s) is provided with a ferroelectric layer at the front surface or the rear surface thereof, or at the front and the rear surfaces thereof. The ferroelectric layer is formed with a ferroelectric material such as BaTiO3, BST((Ba,Sr)TiO3), PZT((Pb,Zr)TiO3) and SBT(SrBi2Ta2O7).

Abstract: A solar cell using a ferroelectric material(s) is provided with a ferroelectric layer at the front surface or the rear surface thereof, or at the front and the rear surfaces thereof. The ferroelectric layer is formed with a ferroelectric material such as BaTiO3, BST((Ba,Sr)TiO3), PZT((Pb,Zr)TiO3) and SBT(SrBi2Ta2O7).