Abstract: Fabrication methods and structures relating to backplanes for back contact solar cells that provide for solar cell substrate reinforcement and electrical interconnects are described. The method comprises depositing an interdigitated pattern of base electrodes and emitter electrodes on a backside surface of a semiconductor substrate, attaching a prepreg backplane to the interdigitated pattern of base electrodes and emitter electrodes, forming holes in the prepreg backplane which provide access to the first layer of electrically conductive metal, and depositing a second layer of electrically conductive metal on the backside surface of the prepreg backplane forming an electrical interconnect with the first layer of electrically conductive metal through the holes in the prepreg backplane.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for electroplating a plurality of metal bumps on a device side of a semiconductor wafer and planarizing the metal bumps by electropolishing to obtain a substantially uniform thickness for the plurality of metal bumps. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: A method for forming a composite metal layer on a substrate comprises providing nanocrystalline particles of a first metal, adding the nanocrystalline particles to a plating bath that contains ions of a second metal to form a colloid-like suspension, immersing the substrate in the plating bath, and causing a co-deposition of the second metal and the nanocrystalline particles of the first metal on the substrate to form the composite metal layer. The co-deposition may be caused by inducing a negative bias on the substrate and applying an electric current to the plating bath to induce an electroplating process. In the electroplating process, the ions of the second metal are reduced by the substrate and become co-deposited on the substrate with the nanocrystalline particles of the first metal to form the composite metal layer.

Abstract: A first layer of magnetic material is deposited onto a substrate to form a bottom pole of an inductive transducer. A second layer of magnetic material is plated on the first layer of magnetic material within the pole tip region to form a bottom pole extension. A layer of non-magnetic metal is then plated on the bottom pole extension to form the gap. A third layer of magnetic material is then plated on the gap layer to form the top pole extension. In one form of the invention, a mask is employed to define a good zero throat level surface to the pole tip region.