Patents by Inventor Virendra V. Rana
Virendra V. Rana 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: 20150129031Abstract: A back contact solar cell is described which includes a semiconductor light absorbing layer; a first-level metal layer (M1), the M1 metal layer on a back side of the light absorbing layer, the back side being opposite from a front side of the light absorbing layer designed to receive incident light; an electrically insulating backplane sheet backside of said solar cell with the M1 layer, the backplane sheet comprising a plurality of via holes that expose portions of the M1 layer beneath the backplane sheet; and an M2 layer in contact with the backplane sheet, the M2 layer made of a sheet of pre-fabricated metal foil material comprising a thickness of between 5-250 ?m, the M2 layer electrically connected to the M1 layer through the via holes in the backplane sheet.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 12, 2014Publication date: May 14, 2015Inventors: Mehrdad M. Moslehi, Thom Stalcup, Karl-Josef Kramer, Anthony Calcaterra, Virendra V. Rana, Sean M. Seutter, Pawan Kapur, Michael Wingert
-
Publication number: 20150056742Abstract: Annealing solutions providing damage-free laser patterning utilizing auxiliary heating to anneal laser damaged ablation regions are provided herein. Ablation spots on an underlying semiconductor substrate are annealed during or after pulsed laser ablation patterning of overlying transparent passivation layers.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 29, 2014Publication date: February 26, 2015Applicant: Solexel, Inc.Inventors: Virendra V. Rana, Mehrdad M. Moslehi, Pawan Kapur, Benjamin Rattle, Heather Deshazer, Solene Coutant
-
Publication number: 20150020877Abstract: Fabrication methods and structures relating to backplanes for back contact solar cells that provide for solar cell substrate reinforcement and electrical interconnects as well as Fabrication methods and structures for forming thin film back contact solar cells are described.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 9, 2012Publication date: January 22, 2015Applicant: SOLEXEL, INC.Inventors: Mehrdad M. Moslehi, Pawan Kapur, Karl-Josef Kramer, Virendra V. Rana, Sean Seutter, Anand Deshpande, Anthony Calcaterra, Gerry Olsen, Kamran Manteghi, Thom Stalcup, George D. Kamian, David Xuan-Qi Wang, Yen-Sheng Su, Michael Wingert
-
Publication number: 20140158193Abstract: Fabrication methods and structures relating to back contact solar cells having patterned emitter and non-nested base regions are provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2013Publication date: June 12, 2014Inventors: Anande Desphande, Pawan Kapur, Heather Deshazer, Mehrdad M. Moslehi, Virendra V. Rana, Sean M. Seutter, Pranav Anbalagan, Benjamin E. Rattle, Solene Coutant, Swaroop Kommera
-
Patent number: 8637340Abstract: Various laser processing schemes are disclosed for producing various types of hetero-junction and homo-junction solar cells. The methods include base and emitter contact opening, selective doping, metal ablation, annealing to improve passivation, and selective emitter doping via laser heating of aluminum. Also, laser processing schemes are disclosed that are suitable for selective amorphous silicon ablation and selective doping for hetero-junction solar cells. Laser ablation techniques are disclosed that leave the underlying silicon substantially undamaged. These laser processing techniques may be applied to semiconductor substrates, including crystalline silicon substrates, and further including crystalline silicon substrates which are manufactured either through wire saw wafering methods or via epitaxial deposition processes, or other cleavage techniques such as ion implantation and heating, that are either planar or textured/three-dimensional.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2011Date of Patent: January 28, 2014Assignee: Solexel, Inc.Inventors: Mehrdad M. Moslehi, Virendra V. Rana, Pranav Anbalagan, Vivek Saraswat
-
Publication number: 20130330872Abstract: A front contact thin-film solar cell is formed on a thin-film silicon solar cell. Emitter regions, selective emitter regions, and a back surface field are formed through ion implantation processes. In one embodiment, front contact thin-film solar cell is formed on a thin-film silicon solar cell. Emitter regions, selective emitter regions, base regions, and a back surface field are formed through ion implantation processes.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 28, 2012Publication date: December 12, 2013Applicant: SOLEXEL, INC.Inventors: Virendra V. Rana, Pawan Kapur, Mehrdad M. Moslehi
-
Publication number: 20130171767Abstract: A back contact back junction thin-film solar cell is formed on a thin-film semiconductor solar cell. Preferably the thin film semiconductor material comprises crystalline silicon. Emitter regions, selective emitter regions, and a back surface field are formed through ion implantation and annealing processes.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2012Publication date: July 4, 2013Applicant: SOLEXEL, INC.Inventors: Mehrdad M. Moslehi, Virendra V. Rana
-
Publication number: 20130164883Abstract: Various laser processing schemes are disclosed for producing various types of hetero-junction and homo-junction solar cells. The methods include base and emitter contact opening, selective doping, metal ablation, annealing to improve passivation, and selective emitter doping via laser heating of aluminum. Also, laser processing schemes are disclosed that are suitable for selective amorphous silicon ablation and selective doping for hetero-junction solar cells. Laser ablation techniques are disclosed that leave the underlying silicon substantially undamaged. These laser processing techniques may be applied to semiconductor substrates, including crystalline silicon substrates, and further including crystalline silicon substrates which are manufactured either through wire saw wafering methods or via epitaxial deposition processes, or other cleavage techniques such as ion implantation and heating, that are either planar or textured/three-dimensional.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 23, 2011Publication date: June 27, 2013Applicant: SOLEXEL, INC.Inventors: Mehrdad M. Moslehi, Virendra V. Rana, Sean M. Seutter, Anand Deshpande
-
Publication number: 20130130430Abstract: Various laser processing schemes are disclosed for producing various types of hetero-junction emitter and homo-junction emitter solar cells. The methods include base and emitter contact opening, selective doping, metal ablation, annealing to improve passivation, and selective emitter doping via laser heating of aluminum. Also, laser processing schemes are disclosed that are suitable for selective amorphous silicon ablation and selective doping for hetero-junction solar cells. Laser ablation techniques are disclosed that leave the underlying silicon substantially undamaged. These laser processing techniques may be applied to semiconductor substrates, including crystalline silicon substrates, and further including crystalline silicon substrates which are manufactured either through wire saw wafering methods or via epitaxial deposition processes, or other cleavage techniques such as ion implantation and heating, that are either planar or textured/three-dimensional.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 21, 2012Publication date: May 23, 2013Applicant: SOLEXEL, INC.Inventors: Mehrdad M. Moslehi, Virendra V. Rana, Pranav Anbalagan, Heather Deshazer, Vivek Saraswat, Pawan Kapur
-
Patent number: 8420435Abstract: A front contact thin-film solar cell is formed on a thin-film crystalline silicon substrate. Emitter regions, selective emitter regions, and a back surface field are formed through ion implantation processes. In yet another embodiment, a back contact thin-film solar cell is formed on a thin-film crystalline silicon substrate. Emitter regions, selective emitter regions, base regions, and a front surface field are formed through ion implantation processes.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2010Date of Patent: April 16, 2013Assignee: Solexel, Inc.Inventors: Virendra V. Rana, Pawan Kapur, Mehrdad M. Moslehi
-
Patent number: 8399331Abstract: Laser processing schemes are disclosed for producing various types of hetero-junction and homo-junction solar cells. The methods include base and emitter contact opening, selective doping, and metal ablation. Also, laser processing schemes are disclosed that are suitable for selective amorphous silicon ablation and selective doping for hetero-junction solar cells. These laser processing techniques may be applied to semiconductor substrates, including crystalline silicon substrates, and further including crystalline silicon substrates which are manufactured either through wire saw wafering methods or via epitaxial deposition processes, that are either planar or textured/three-dimensional. These techniques are highly suited to thin crystalline semiconductor, including thin crystalline silicon films.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2011Date of Patent: March 19, 2013Assignee: SolexelInventors: Mehrdad M. Moslehi, Virendra V. Rana, JianJun Liang, Pranav Anbalagan
-
Publication number: 20120225515Abstract: Various laser processing schemes are disclosed for producing various types of hetero-junction and homo-junction solar cells. The methods include base and emitter contact opening, selective doping, metal ablation, annealing to improve passivation, and selective emitter doping via laser heating of aluminum. Also, laser processing schemes are disclosed that are suitable for selective amorphous silicon ablation and selective doping for hetero-junction solar cells. Laser ablation techniques are disclosed that leave the underlying silicon substantially undamaged. These laser processing techniques may be applied to semiconductor substrates, including crystalline silicon substrates, and further including crystalline silicon substrates which are manufactured either through wire saw wafering methods or via epitaxial deposition processes, or other cleavage techniques such as ion implantation and heating, that are either planar or textured/three-dimensional.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 30, 2011Publication date: September 6, 2012Applicant: SOLEXEL, INC.Inventors: Mehrdad M. Moslehi, Virendra V. Rana
-
Publication number: 20120178203Abstract: Various laser processing schemes are disclosed for producing various types of hetero junction and homo-junction solar cells. The methods include base and emitter contact opening, selective doping, metal ablation, annealing to improve passivation, and selective emitter doping via laser heating of aluminum. Also, laser processing schemes are disclosed that are suitable for selective amorphous silicon ablation and selective doping for hetero junction solar cells. Laser ablation techniques are disclosed that leave the underlying silicon substantially undamaged. These laser processing techniques may be applied to semiconductor substrates, including crystalline silicon substrates, and further including crystalline silicon substrates which are manufactured either through wire saw wafering methods or via epitaxial deposition processes, or other cleavage techniques such as ion implantation and heating, that are either planar or textured/three-dimensional.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 30, 2011Publication date: July 12, 2012Applicant: SOLEXEL, INC.Inventors: Mehrdad M. Moslehi, Virendra V. Rana, Pranav Anbalagan
-
Publication number: 20120171804Abstract: Various laser processing schemes are disclosed for producing various types of hetero junction and homo-junction solar cells. The methods include base and emitter contact opening, selective doping, metal ablation, annealing to improve passivation, and selective emitter doping via laser heating of aluminum. Also, laser processing schemes are disclosed that are suitable for selective amorphous silicon ablation and selective doping for hetero junction solar cells. Laser ablation techniques are disclosed that leave the underlying silicon substantially undamaged. These laser processing techniques may be applied to semiconductor substrates, including crystalline silicon substrates, and further including crystalline silicon substrates which are manufactured either through wire saw wafering methods or via epitaxial deposition processes, or other cleavage techniques such as ion implantation and heating, that are either planar or textured/three-dimensional.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 30, 2011Publication date: July 5, 2012Applicant: SOLEXEL, INC.Inventors: Mehrdad M. Moslehi, Virendra V. Rana, Pranav Anbalagan, Vivek Saraswat
-
Publication number: 20120122272Abstract: Flat top beam laser processing schemes are disclosed for producing various types of hetero-junction and homo-junction solar cells. The methods include base and emitter contact opening, back surface field formation, selective doping, and metal ablation. Also, laser processing schemes are disclosed that are suitable for selective amorphous silicon ablation and selective doping for hetero-junction solar cells. These laser processing techniques may be applied to semiconductor substrates, including crystalline silicon substrates, and further including crystalline silicon substrates which are manufactured either through wire saw wafering methods or via epitaxial deposition processes, that are either planar or textured/three-dimensional. These techniques are highly suited to thin crystalline semiconductor, including thin crystalline silicon films.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 11, 2011Publication date: May 17, 2012Applicant: SOLEXEL, INC.Inventors: Virendra V. Rana, Pranav Anbalagan, Mehrdad M. Moslehi
-
Patent number: 8163330Abstract: The present invention provides a method of making back side contacts and back surface fields in photovoltaic devices such as silicon solar cells. According to one aspect, the process of the present invention is a non-contact process, overcoming many of the problems of the prior art. According to certain aspects, molten aluminum is used to form the contact regions as opposed to the screen printing process of the prior art. According to additional aspects, the process can be used to form the distributed point contacts and localized back surface fields for dielectric passivated back surface. According to still further aspects, molten aluminum spray and/or atomization is used for the back side metallization.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 2007Date of Patent: April 24, 2012Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Virendra V. Rana, Robert Z. Bachrach
-
Publication number: 20120028399Abstract: Laser processing schemes are disclosed for producing various types of hetero-junction and homo-junction solar cells. The methods include base and emitter contact opening, selective doping, and metal ablation. Also, laser processing schemes are disclosed that are suitable for selective amorphous silicon ablation and selective doping for hetero-junction solar cells. These laser processing techniques may be applied to semiconductor substrates, including crystalline silicon substrates, and further including crystalline silicon substrates which are manufactured either through wire saw wafering methods or via epitaxial deposition processes, that are either planar or textured/three-dimensional. These techniques are highly suited to thin crystalline semiconductor, including thin crystalline silicon films.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 27, 2011Publication date: February 2, 2012Applicant: SOLEXEL, INC.Inventors: Mehrdad M. Moslehi, Virendra V. Rana, JianJun Liang, Pranav Anbalagan
-
Patent number: 7981778Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for converting a doped amorphous silicon layer deposited onto a crystalline silicon substrate into crystalline silicon having the same grain structure and crystal orientation as the underlying crystalline silicon substrate upon which the amorphous silicon was initially deposited. Additional embodiments of the present invention provide depositing a dielectric passivation layer onto the amorphous silicon layer prior to the conversion. A temperature gradient is provided at a temperature and for a time period sufficient to provide a desired p-n junction depth and dopant profile.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2009Date of Patent: July 19, 2011Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Virendra V. Rana, Robert Z. Bachrach
-
Publication number: 20110021008Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for converting a doped amorphous silicon layer deposited onto a crystalline silicon substrate into crystalline silicon having the same grain structure and crystal orientation as the underlying crystalline silicon substrate upon which the amorphous silicon was initially deposited. Additional embodiments of the present invention provide depositing a dielectric passivation layer onto the amorphous silicon layer prior to the conversion. A temperature gradient is provided at a temperature and for a time period sufficient to provide a desired p-n junction depth and dopant profile.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2009Publication date: January 27, 2011Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Virendra V. RANA, Robert Z. Bachrach
-
Patent number: 7858427Abstract: A method is provided for making a crystalline silicon solar cell on a low purity substrate by depositing p+-p-n+, or n+-n-p+ layers of amorphous silicon, depending on the type of wafer, on a crystalline silicon substrate, such as an upgraded metallurgical grade silicon substrate, with substrate vias of varying diameters formed thereon, annealing the stack of amorphous silicon layers to cause solid phase epitaxial crystallization, and metallizing the substrate assembly using standard metallization techniques. One embodiment of the present invention provides depositing a passivation layer onto the third deposited silicon layer subsequent to the crystallization. Another embodiment provides depositing a passivation layer on the back side of the substrate subsequent to crystallization and punching selected regions at the substrate vias prior to back metallization.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2009Date of Patent: December 28, 2010Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventor: Virendra V. Rana