Abstract: A hybrid all-back-contact (ABC) solar cell and method of fabricating the same. The method comprises: forming one or more patterned insulating passivation layers over at least a portion of an absorber of the solar cell; forming one or more hetero junction layers over at least a portion of the one or more patterned insulating passivation layers to provide one or more heterojunction point or line-like contacts between the one or more heterojunction layers and the absorber of the solar cell; forming one or more first metal regions over at least a portion of the one or more heterojunction layers; forming a doped region within the absorber of the solar cell; and forming one or more second metal regions over at least a portion of the doped region and contacting the doped region to provide one or more homojunction contacts.

Abstract: A method for the production of a wafer-based, back-contacted heterojunction solar cell includes providing at least one absorber wafer. Metallic contacts are deposited as at least one of point contacts and strip contacts in a predetermined distribution on a back side of the at least one absorber wafer. The contacts have steep flanks that are higher than a cumulative layer thickness of an emitter layer and an emitter contact layer and are sheathed with an insulating sheath. The emitter layer is deposited over an entire surface of the back side of the at least one absorber wafer. The emitter contact layer is deposited over an entire surface of the emitter layer so as to form an emitter contact system. At least one of the emitter layer and the emitter contact layer is selectively removed so as to expose the steep flanks of the contacts that are covered with the insulating sheath.

Abstract: A thin-film solar module contacted on one side includes a support layer, a photoactive absorber layer and at least one dopant layer deposited over a surface area of at least one side of the absorber layer so as to form a thin-film packet that is divided into thin-film solar cell areas by insulating separating trenches. The thin-film solar module includes first and second contact systems. The first contact system includes contacts connected by an outer contact layer. The second contact system consists of an inner contact layer covering a side of the solar cell areas that face away from the support layer so as to separately discharge excess charge carriers generated by incident light in the absorber layer. The second contact system includes structures that surround and electrically insulate the contacts, which extend through the inner contact layer from the outer contact layer.

Abstract: A solar cell includes a photoactive, semiconductive absorber layer configured to generate excess charge carriers of opposed polarity by light incident on a front of the absorber layer during operation. The absorber layer is configured to separate and move, via at least one electric field formed in the absorber layer, the photogenerated excess charge carriers of opposed polarity over a minimal effective diffusion length Leff,min. The absorber layer has a thickness Lx of 0<Lx?Leff,min. First contact elements are configured to remove the excess charge carriers of a first polarity on a rear of the absorber layer. Second contact elements are configured remove the excess charge carriers of a second polarity on the rear of the absorber layer. At least one undoped, electrically insulating second passivation region is disposed in an alternating, neighboring arrangement with a first passivation region on the rear of the absorber layer.

Abstract: A solar cell includes a photoactive, semiconductive absorber layer configured to generate excess charge carriers of opposed polarity by light incident on a front of the absorber layer during operation. The absorber layer is configured to separate and move, via at least one electric field formed in the absorber layer, the photogenerated excess charge carriers of opposed polarity over a minimal effective diffusion length Leff,min. The absorber layer has a thickness Lx of 0<Lx?Leff,min. First contact elements are configured to remove the excess charge carriers of a first polarity on a rear of the absorber layer. Second contact elements are configured remove the excess charge carriers of a second polarity on the rear of the absorber layer. At least one undoped, electrically insulating second passivation region is disposed in an alternating, neighboring arrangement with a first passivation region on the rear of the absorber layer.

Abstract: In an embodiment of the present invention, a single-sided contact solar cell includes an absorber layer with plated-through holes; an emitter layer disposed on a first side of the absorber layer, the emitter layer including one or more semiconductor materials having different dopants; a field passivation layer disposed on a second side of the absorber layer; a contact grid covered on a top surface thereof with an insulation layer and electrically connected to a first end of the plated-through holes; and a contact layer. 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. 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.

Abstract: A method for the production of a wafer-based, back-contacted heterojunction solar cell includes providing at least one absorber wafer. Metallic contacts are deposited as at least one of point contacts and strip contacts in a predetermined distribution on a back side of the at least one absorber wafer. The contacts have steep flanks that are higher than a cumulative layer thickness of an emitter layer and an emitter contact layer and are sheathed with an insulating sheath. The emitter layer is deposited over an entire surface of the back side of the at least one absorber wafer. The emitter contact layer is deposited over an entire surface of the emitter layer so as to form an emitter contact system. At least one of the emitter layer and the emitter contact layer is selectively removed so as to expose the steep flanks of the contacts that are covered with the insulating sheath.

Abstract: A thin-film solar module contacted on one side includes a support layer, a photoactive absorber layer and at least one dopant layer deposited over a surface area of at least one side of the absorber layer so as to form a thin-film packet that is divided into thin-film solar cell areas by insulating separating trenches. The thin-film solar module includes first and second contact systems. The first contact system includes contacts connected by an outer contact layer. The second contact system consists of an inner contact layer covering a side of the solar cell areas that face away from the support layer so as to separately discharge excess charge carriers generated by incident light in the absorber layer. The second contact system includes structures that surround and electrically insulate the contacts, which extend through the inner contact layer from the outer contact layer.

Abstract: In an embodiment of the present invention, a single-sided contact solar cell includes an absorber layer with plated-through holes; an emitter layer disposed on a first side of the absorber layer, the emitter layer including one or more semiconductor materials having different dopants; a field passivation layer disposed on a second side of the absorber layer; a contact grid covered on a top surface thereof with an insulation layer and electrically connected to a first end of the plated-through holes; and a contact layer. 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. 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.

Abstract: A single-side contacted solar cell and method for production of a single-side contacted solar cell provide a direct arrangement of a contact grid on one side of an absorber layer. A free surface of the contact grid is coated with an electrically non-conducting insulation layer. An emitter layer is deposited on a whole surface such that the contact grid is arranged between the absorber layer and the emitter layer. The emitter layer is provided with a contact layer. For back face contact, the emitter layer is arranged on a back face of the absorber layer to avoid additional absorptive losses.