Abstract: A semiconductor power module for an electrical axle drive in an electric vehicle and/or a hybrid vehicle includes a plurality of semiconductor switching elements for generating an output current on the basis of an input current provided by a voltage source by switching the semiconductor switching elements comprising a plurality of diodes which each have an anode and a cathode, a first leadframe, and a second leadframe having a plurality of conductor tracks for electrically connecting the semiconductor switching elements to form a half-bridge having a high side and a low side, wherein the first leadframe is assigned to the high side and the second leadframe is assigned to the low side, wherein electrical contact is made with the diodes between the first leadframe and the second leadframe so that the anode of the diodes faces a cooler mechanically connected and thermally coupled to the semiconductor power module.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an insulation layer on silicon carbide includes first preparing a surface of the silicon carbide, then forming a first part of the insulation layer on the surface at a temperature lower than 400° Celsius. Finally, a second part of the insulation layer is formed by depositing a dielectric film on the first part. The surface of the silicon carbide is illuminated by a light at a wavelength below and/or equal to 450 nm during and/or after the formation of the first part of the insulation layer.

Abstract: Method of providing a boron doped region (8, 8a, 8b) in a silicon substrate (1), includes the steps of: (a) depositing a boron doping source (6) over a first surface (2) of the substrate (1); (b) annealing the substrate (1) for diffusing boron from the boron doping source (6) into the first surface (2), thereby yielding a boron doped region; (c) removing the boron doping source (6) from at least part of the first surface (2); (d) depositing undoped silicon oxide (10) over the first surface (2); and (e) annealing the substrate (1) for lowering a peak concentration of boron in the boron doped region (8, 8a) through boron absorption by the undoped silicon oxide. The silicon oxide (10) acts as a boron absorber to obtain the desired concentration of the boron doped region (8).

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an insulation layer on a silicon carbide substrate, the method including preparing a surface of a silicon carbide substrate, forming a first part of an insulation layer on the surface of the silicon carbide substrate at a temperature below 400° Celsius, and forming a second part of the insulation layer by depositing a dielectric film on the first part of the insulation layer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an insulation layer on silicon carbide includes first preparing a surface of the silicon carbide, then forming a first part of the insulation layer on the surface at a temperature lower than 400° Celsius. Finally, a second part of the insulation layer is formed by depositing a dielectric film on the first part. The surface of the silicon carbide is illuminated by a light at a wavelength below and/or equal to 450 nm during and/or after the formation of the first part of the insulation layer.

Abstract: Known photovoltaic cells with wrap through connections have output terminals of both polarities on its back surface, one of which is coupled to the front surface via the wrap through connections. The invented solar cell is manufactured by creating an emitter layer on the back surface. Electrode material is applied in mutually separate first and second areas on the back surface. The electrode material in the first area contacts the emitter. The second area covers a surrounding of a hole that provides for the connection on the back surface. The electrode material in the second area lies on the emitter and around the second area the emitter is interrupted by a trench. On the front surface a further area of electrode material is applied over the hole. If necessary the electrode material in the second area on the back surface is applied on a supporting surface that is substantially electrically isolated from current flowing laterally through the emitter layer underneath the first area.

Abstract: Method of providing a boron doped region (8, 8a, 8b) in a silicon substrate (1), includes the steps of: (a) depositing a boron doping source (6) over a first surface (2) of the substrate (1); (b) annealing the substrate (1) for diffusing boron from the boron doping source (6) into the first surface (2), thereby yielding a boron doped region; (c) removing the boron doping source (6) from at least part of the first surface (2); (d) depositing undoped silicon oxide (10) over the first surface (2); and (e) annealing the substrate (1) for lowering a peak concentration of boron in the boron doped region (8, 8a) through boron absorption by the undoped silicon oxide. The silicon oxide (10) acts as a boron absorber to obtain the desired concentration of the boron doped region (8).

Abstract: Known photovoltaic cells with wrap through connections have output terminals of both polarities on its back surface, one of which is coupled to the front surface via the wrap through connections. The invented solar cell is manufactured by creating an emitter layer on the back surface. Electrode material is applied in mutually separate first and second areas on the back surface. The electrode material in the first area contacts the emitter. The second area covers a surrounding of a hole that provides for the connection on the back surface. The electrode material in the second area lies on the emitter and around the second area the emitter is interrupted by a trench. On the front surface a further area of electrode material is applied over the hole. If necessary the electrode material in the second area on the back surface is applied on a supporting surface that is substantially electrically isolated from current flowing laterally through the emitter layer underneath the first area.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a crystalline silicon solar cell, comprising: —providing a crystalline silicon substrate having a front side and a back side; —forming a thin silicon oxide film on at least one of the front and the back side by soaking the crystalline silicon substrate in a chemical solution; —forming a dielectric coating film on the thin silicon oxide film on at least one of the front and the back side. The thin silicon oxide film may be formed with a thickness of 0.5-10 nm. By forming a oxide layer using a chemical solution, it is possible to form a thin oxide film for surface passivation wherein the relatively low temperature avoids deterioration of the semiconductor layers.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a crystalline silicon solar cell, subsequently including: providing a crystalline silicon substrate having a first side and a second side opposite the first side; pre-diffusing Phosphorus into a first side of the substrate to render a Phosphorus diffused layer having an initial depth; blocking the first side of the substrate; exposing a second side of the substrate to a Boron diffusion source; heating the substrate for a certain period of time and to a certain temperature so as to diffuse Boron into the second side of the substrate and to simultaneously diffuse the Phosphorus further into the substrate.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a crystalline silicon solar cell, subsequently including: providing a crystalline silicon substrate having a first side and a second side opposite the first side; pre-diffusing Phosphorus into a first side of the substrate to render a Phosphorus diffused layer having an initial depth; blocking the first side of the substrate; exposing a second side of the substrate to a Boron diffusion source; heating the substrate for a certain period of time and to a certain temperature so as to diffuse Boron into the second side of the substrate and to simultaneously diffuse the Phosphorus further into the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a crystalline silicon solar cell, comprising: —providing a crystalline silicon substrate having a front side and a back side; —forming a thin silicon oxide film on at least one of the front and the back side by soaking the crystalline silicon substrate in a chemical solution; —forming a dielectric coating film on the thin silicon oxide film on at least one of the front and the back side. The thin silicon oxide film may be formed with a thickness of 0.5-10 nm. By forming a oxide layer using a chemical solution, it is possible to form a thin oxide film for surface passivation wherein the relatively low temperature avoids deterioration of the semiconductor layers.

Abstract: A semiconductor substrate for a solar cell, comprising the semiconductor substrate having a surface which constitutes a light incident face of the solar cell and having a surface irregularities structure, wherein the surface has an surface area from 1.2 to 2.2 times that of an imaginary smooth face and the standard deviation of the heights of the irregularities is 1.0 ?m or less.

Abstract: The invention provides solar cells and methods of manufacturing solar cells having a Hetero-junction with Intrinsic Thin-layer (HIT) structure using an n-type multicrystalline silicon substrate. An n-type multicrystalline silicon substrate is subjected to a phosphorus diffusion step using a relatively high temperature. The front side diffusion layer is then removed. As a next step, a p-type silicon thin film is deposited at the front side of the substrate. This sequence avoids heating the p-type silicon thin film above its deposition temperature, and maintains the quality of the p-type silicon thin film.

Abstract: A method for forming an electrode according to the present invention includes a step of discharging a paste containing an electrode material from a discharge port of a nozzle, and drawing a fine-line pattern on a surface of a semiconductor substrate, and a step of drying and baking the drawn fine-line pattern, and forming a fine-line electrode.

Abstract: A stacked photoelectric conversion device comprising at least two photoelectric conversion element layers sandwiched between a first electrode layer and a light receiving second electrode layer, and at least one intermediate layer sandwiched between any two of said at least two photoelectric conversion element layers, wherein the intermediate layer has uneven surfaces on a light receiving side and a light outgoing side, the uneven surface on the latter having a greater average level difference than that on the former.

Abstract: A stacked photoelectric conversion device comprising at least two photoelectric conversion element layers sandwiched between a first electrode layer and a light receiving second electrode layer, and at least one intermediate layer sandwiched between any two of said at least two photoelectric conversion element layers, wherein the intermediate layer has uneven surfaces on a light receiving side and a light outgoing side, the uneven surface on the latter having a greater average level difference than that on the former.

Abstract: A photoelectric converting device is provided with enhanced photoelectric conversion efficiency by optimizing a combination of materials used for top and bottom cells. The photoelectric converting device of the present invention is provided with first and second pn junctions. The first pn junction is formed in a semiconductor substantially represented by (Al1-yGay)1-xInxP, and the second pn junction is formed in a semiconductor substantially represented by Ga1-zInzAs.

Abstract: A frequency monitor compares an actual frequency of an oscillating circuit with a target frequency for producing a control signal representative of the comparison result, a controller is responsive to the control signal so as to trim the resistance of a resistor string with an n-bit control signal regulated through a binary search algorithm, and quickly adjusts the actual frequency to the target frequency, because the trimming operation is only repeated n times at the maximum.

Abstract: A photoelectric converting device is provided with enhanced photoelectric conversion efficiency by optimizing a combination of materials used for top and bottom cells. The photoelectric converting device of the present invention is provided with first and second pn junctions. The first pn junction is formed in a semiconductor substantially represented by (Al1−yGay)1−xInxP, and the second pn junction is formed in a semiconductor substantially represented by Ga1−zInzAs.