Patents by Inventor Sean Erik FOSS

Sean Erik FOSS 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).

  • Patent number: 9978902
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a passivation stack on a crystalline silicon solar cell device. The method includes providing a substrate comprising a crystalline silicone layer such as a crystalline silicon wafer or chip, cleaning a surface of the crystalline silicon layer by removing an oxide layer at least from a portion of one side of the crystalline silicon layer, depositing, on at least a part of the cleaned surface, a layer of silicon oxynitride, and depositing a capping layer comprising a hydrogenated dielectric material on top of the layer of silicon oxynitride, wherein the layer of silicon oxynitride is deposited at a temperature from 100° C. to 200° C., and the step of depositing the layer of silicon oxynitride includes using N2O and SiH4 as precursor gasses in an N2 ambient atmosphere and depositing silicon oxynitride with a gas flow ratio of N2O to SiH4 below 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Institutt for Energiteknikk
    Inventors: Junjie Zhu, Su Zhou, Halvard Haug, Erik Stensrud Marstein, Sean Erik Foss, Wenjing Wang, Chunlan Zhou
  • Publication number: 20170229600
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a passivation stack on a crystalline silicon solar cell device. The method includes providing a substrate comprising a crystalline silicone layer such as a crystalline silicon wafer or chip, cleaning a surface of the crystalline silicon layer by removing an oxide layer at least from a portion of one side of the crystalline silicon layer, depositing, on at least a part of the cleaned surface, a layer of silicon oxynitride, and depositing a capping layer comprising a hydrogenated dielectric material on top of the layer of silicon oxynitride, wherein the layer of silicon oxynitride is deposited at a temperature from 100° C. to 200° C., and the step of depositing the layer of silicon oxynitride includes using N2O and SiH4 as precursor gasses in an N2 ambient atmosphere and depositing silicon oxynitride with a gas flow ratio of N2O to SiH4 below 2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Inventors: Junjie ZHU, Su ZHOU, Halvard HAUG, Erik STENSRUD MARSTEIN, Sean Erik FOSS, Wenjing WANG, Chunlan ZHOU
  • Patent number: 9660130
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a passivation stack on a crystalline silicon solar cell device. The method includes providing a substrate comprising a crystalline silicone layer such as a crystalline silicon wafer or chip, cleaning a surface of the crystalline silicon layer by removing an oxide layer at least from a portion of one side of the crystalline silicon layer, depositing, on at least a part of the cleaned surface, a layer of silicon oxynitride, and depositing a capping layer comprising a hydrogenated dielectric material on top of the layer of silicon oxynitride, wherein the layer of silicon oxynitride is deposited at a temperature from 100° C. to 200° C., and the step of depositing the layer of silicon oxynitride includes using N2O and SiH4 as precursor gasses in an N2 ambient atmosphere and depositing silicon oxynitride with a gas flow ratio of N2O to SiH4 below 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: INSTITUTT FOR ENERGITEKNIKK
    Inventors: Junjie Zhu, Su Zhou, Halvard Haug, Erik Stensrud Marstein, Sean Erik Foss, Wenjing Wang, Chunlan Zhou
  • Publication number: 20160276519
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a passivation stack on a crystalline silicon solar cell device. The method includes providing a substrate comprising a crystalline silicone layer such as a crystalline silicon wafer or chip, cleaning a surface of the crystalline silicon layer by removing an oxide layer at least from a portion of one side of the crystalline silicon layer, depositing, on at least a part of the cleaned surface, a layer of silicon oxynitride, and depositing a capping layer comprising a hydrogenated dielectric material on top of the layer of silicon oxynitride, wherein the layer of silicon oxynitride is deposited at a temperature from 100° C. to 200° C., and the step of depositing the layer of silicon oxynitride includes using N20 and SiH4 as precursor gasses in an N2 ambient atmosphere and depositing silicon oxynitride with a gas flow ratio of N20 to SiH4 below 2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Inventors: Junjie ZHU, Su ZHOU, Halvard HAUG, Erik STENSRUD MARSTEIN, Sean Erik FOSS, Wenjing WANG, Chunlan ZHOU
  • Patent number: 9425333
    Abstract: A device including a surface layer of a selected material in a predetermined pattern on a substrate surface. A groove or ridge arranged in the substrate surface includes a bottom or top face, respectively, and at least one side face sloping relative to the bottom or top face. The surface layer is deposited on a part of the substrate including the groove or ridge by vacuum chamber sputtering the selected material from a sputtering source while moving the substrate past the sputtering source in a direction substantially perpendicular to a sputtering main lobe direction and with a normal to the substrate surface substantially in a predefined angle with the main lobe direction. By uniformly etching away surface layer material deposited on the substrate by the sputtering until freeing a substantial part of the side face, the predetermined pattern becomes defined substantially by the bottom face or the top face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Institutt for Energiteknikk
    Inventors: Krister Mangersnes, Sean Erik Foss
  • Publication number: 20130291937
    Abstract: A device including a surface layer of a selected material in a predetermined pattern on a substrate surface. A groove or ridge arranged in the substrate surface includes a bottom or top face, respectively, and at least one side face sloping relative to the bottom or top face. The surface layer is deposited on a part of the substrate including the groove or ridge by vacuum chamber sputtering the selected material from a sputtering source whilst moving the substrate past the sputtering source in a direction substantially perpendicular to a sputtering main lobe direction and with a normal to the substrate surface substantially in a predefined angle with the main lobe direction. By uniformly etching away surface layer material deposited on the substrate by the sputtering until freeing a substantial part of the side face, the predetermined pattern becomes defined substantially by the bottom face or the top face.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Applicant: Institutt for Energiteknikk
    Inventors: Krister Mangersnes, Sean Erik Foss
  • Publication number: 20130276882
    Abstract: A method for forming a solar cell and a solar cell having a top electrode with a finger pattern. The finger pattern is formed of a structure of aligned particles that is formed by applying a thin film comprising a fluid matrix with conductive particles on to the solar cell surface, aligning the conductive particles into electrically conductive wires by applying an electric field over the thin film and curing the matrix.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: CONDALIGN AS
    Inventors: Mark Buchanan, Matti Knaapila, Sean Erik Foss, Geir Helgesen
  • Publication number: 20120012170
    Abstract: A silicon crystal wafer or chip, and a method for processing a substantially pure or semiconductor level doped silicon crystal wafer or chip for adapting the wafer or chip for laser beam ablation of an electrically insulating surface layer carried on the wafer or chip. A layer of amorphous silicon of a thickness substantially larger than the thickness of the naturally obtained oxide layer, the amorphous silicon being a substantially pure or semiconductor level doped grade amorphous silicon, is produced on top of a substantially clean surface of the silicon crystal wafer or chip. A layer of the electrically insulating surface layer being substantially transparent to an optical wavelength of a laser beam that is extensively absorbed in the layer of amorphous silicon, is produced on the layer of amorphous silicon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2010
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Applicant: INSTITUTT FOR ENERGITEKNIKK
    Inventors: Sean Erik FOSS, Krister MANGERSNES