Patents by Inventor Rudolf Hezel

Rudolf Hezel has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20040187916
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for production of a solar cell (10) and said cell. According to the invention, a high efficiency may be achieved, whereby, on the rear side of the solar cell, first and second contacts (26, 28) are arranged on projections (18), or the flanks thereof (20, 22), for collecting minority and majority charge carriers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2004
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Inventor: Rudolf Hezel
  • Patent number: 6172297
    Abstract: A solar cell (1) is proposed, which is having at least at one side a semiconductor surface (2), on which edges (3) are formed having flank-like regions (4) running substantially parallel to the substrate normal and on which the electrical conductive contacts (5) are arranged. To be able to produce solar cells using simple technology with high cell efficiencies the electrical conductive material is deposited to the flank-like regions as well as to some none flank-like areas (6). The electrical conductive material is removed mask-free and selectively from the none flank-like areas resulting in electrical conducting contacts remaining on the flank-like regions only.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: Institut fur Solarenergieforschung GmbH
    Inventors: Rudolf Hezel, Axel Metz
  • Patent number: 5449626
    Abstract: A solar cell (10) with at least one semiconductor substrate surface (12) is proposed, having elevated areas (24, 26, 28) on which are provided electrically conducting contacts (20) for conducting charge carriers, and which are covered at least between the electrically conducting contacts by a passivation material (16). In order to manufacture solar cells with high efficiency using simple technology, the semiconductor substrate surface is completely or largely completely covered by the passivation material after formation of the elevated areas. Passivation material and if necessary semiconductor material present on the elevated areas is then removed from them. The material forming the electrically conducting contacts is then disposed on areas of the elevations thereby exposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 12, 1995
    Inventor: Rudolf Hezel
  • Patent number: 5356488
    Abstract: A solar cell (10) with at least one semiconductor substrate surface (12) is proposed, having elevated areas (24, 26, 28) on which are provided electrically conducting contacts (20) for conducting charge carriers, and which are covered at least between the electrically conducting contacts by a passivation material (16). In order to manufacture solar cells with high efficiency using simple technology, the semiconductor substrate surface is completely or largely completely covered by the passivation material after formation of the elevated areas. Passivation material and if necessary semiconductor material present on the elevated areas is then removed from them. The material forming the electrically conducting contacts is then disposed on areas of the elevations thereby exposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1994
    Inventor: Rudolf Hezel
  • Patent number: 4900369
    Abstract: A solar cell (10) is proposed, particularly of silicon, having a semiconductive substrate (1) on one side of which an electrical field is provided by, for example, an MIS contact (1, 2, 3) to cause a separation of charge carriers generated by light energy. The minority charge carriers are drawn into the metal (3) of the MIS contact, whereas the majority charge carriers are discharged via ohmic contact zones (4) arranged on the opposite side of the semiconductive substrate. At least one passivation layer (5) is arranged on the semiconductive substrate between the ohmic contact zones, whereby the recombination velocity of the charge carriers in the area of the ohmic contact zones is considerably reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 13, 1990
    Assignee: Nukem GmbH
    Inventors: Rudolf Hezel, Karl G. Hackstein
  • Patent number: 4891325
    Abstract: A method is proposed for re-using silicon base material of defective MIS inversion-layer solar cells, where at least MIS solar cell-specific layers are stripped off and replaced by corresponding new layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1990
    Assignee: Nukem GmbH
    Inventors: Rudolf Hezel, Winfried Hoffmann, Berthold Schum
  • Patent number: 4886555
    Abstract: Proposed is a silicon solar cell with a substrate body on one side of which an electrical field is generated by an MIS contact to cause separation of charge carriers generated by radiation energy. The minority charge carriers are drawn off in the metal of the MIS contact, whereas the majority charge carriers are conducted away by ohmic contacts arranged on the opposite side. The ohmic contacts are located on elevated areas relative to the substrate surface. Moreover, the side of the substrate body bearing the ohmic contacts is completely covered with at least one passivation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1989
    Assignee: Nukem GmbH
    Inventors: Karl-Gerhard Hackstein, Rudolf Hezel
  • Patent number: 4828628
    Abstract: A solar cell (10), preferably of silicon, having a semiconductive substrate (1) on one side of which an electrical field is provided by, for example, an MIS contact (1, 2, 3) to cause a separation of charge carriers generated by light energy. The minority charge carriers are drawn into the metal (3) of the MIS contact, whereas the majority charge carriers are discharged via ohmic contact zones (4) arranged on the opposite side of the semiconductive substrate. At least one passivation layer (5) is arranged on the semiconductive substrate between the ohmic contact zones, whereby the recombination velocity of the charge carriers in the area of the ohmic contact zones is considerably reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1989
    Assignee: Nukem GmbH
    Inventors: Rudolf Hezel, Karl G. Hackstein
  • Patent number: 4253881
    Abstract: A solar cell is composed of a semiconductive material having an active zone in which charge carriers are produced by photons which strike and penetrate into the solar cell. The cell is comprised of a semiconductive body having an electrically insulating laminate with metal contacts therein positioned on the semiconductor body in the active zone thereof. The insulating laminate is composed of a double layer of insulating material, with the layer in direct contact with the semiconductive surface being composed of SiO.sub.2 which is either natural or is produced at temperatures below 800.degree. C. and the layer superimposed above the SiO.sub.2 layer being composed of a different insulating material, such as plasma-produced Si.sub.3 N.sub.4. In certain embodiments of the invention, a whole-area pn-junction is provided parallel to the semiconductive surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 1979
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1981
    Inventor: Rudolf Hezel