IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
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국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
US-0348253
(2003-01-21)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Hammerbacher, Milfred Dale
- Stevens, Gary Don
- Sharrock, Paul Ray
- Wullur, Aline
- Rivollier, Frederic
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출원인 / 주소 |
- Spheral Solar Power, Inc.
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대리인 / 주소 |
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
2 인용 특허 :
20 |
초록
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A method of fabricating a photovoltaic solar cell is provided. A plurality of generally spherical semiconductor elements are provided. Each of the semiconductor elements has a core and an outer surface surface forming a p-n junction. An anti-reflection coating is deposited on the outer surface of ea
A method of fabricating a photovoltaic solar cell is provided. A plurality of generally spherical semiconductor elements are provided. Each of the semiconductor elements has a core and an outer surface surface forming a p-n junction. An anti-reflection coating is deposited on the outer surface of each of the semiconductor elements and each of the semiconductor elements is bonded into a perforated aluminum foil array thereby providing ohmic contact to a first side of the p-n junction. The anti-reflection coating is removed from a portion of each of the semiconductor elements and then the core is exposed, thereby allowing ohmic contact to be made to a second side of the p-n junction.
대표청구항
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1. A method of fabricating an optical concentrator for a photovoltaic solar cell, comprising:providing a plurality of generally spherical semiconductor elements, each of said semiconductor elements having a core and an outer surface forming a p-n junction; depositing an anti-reflection coating on th
1. A method of fabricating an optical concentrator for a photovoltaic solar cell, comprising:providing a plurality of generally spherical semiconductor elements, each of said semiconductor elements having a core and an outer surface forming a p-n junction; depositing an anti-reflection coating on the outer surface of each of said semiconductor elements; bonding each of said semiconductor elements having said anti-reflection coating into a perforated aluminum foil array thereby allowing ohmic contact to be made to a first side of said p-n junction; and removing said anti-reflection coating and from a portion of each of said semiconductor elements and then exposing said core, thereby allowing ohmic contact to be made to a second side of said p-n junction. 2. The method of fabricating an optical concentrator for a photovoltaic solar cell according to claim 1, wherein said depositing an anti-reflection coating comprises depositing a metal oxide on the outer surface of each of the semiconductor elements.3. The method of fabricating an optical concentrator for a photovoltaic solar cell according to claim 2, wherein said depositing an anti-reflection coating comprises depositing titanium dioxide on the outer surface of each of the semiconductor elements.4. The method of fabricating an optical concentrator for a photovoltaic solar cell according to claim 2, wherein depositing a metal oxide on the outer surface of each of the semiconductor elements comprises decomposing at least one metal alkoxide in a chemical vapor deposition reactor.5. The method of fabricating an optical concentrator for a photovoltaic solar cell according to claim 4, wherein decomposing at least one metal alkoxide comprises decomposing at least one of titanium isopropoxide, titanium ethoxide, and a mixture thereof in a chemical vapor deposition reactor.6. The method of fabricating an optical concentrator for a photovoltaic solar cell according to claim 2 wherein depositing a metal oxide on the outer surface of each of the semiconductor elements comprises sputter deposition of a metal coating from a target, followed by oxidation of said metal coating.7. The method of fabricating an optical concentrator for a photovoltaic solar cell according to claim 2 wherein depositing a metal oxide on the outer surface of each of the semiconductor elements comprises hydrolizing a metal alkoxide in a sol-gel process and condensing said metal alkoxide on the outer surface of each of the semiconductor elements during continuous moving.8. The method of fabricating an optical concentrator for a photovoltaic solar cell according to claim 1, wherein said depositing an anti-reflection coating comprises depositing a non-oxide composition on the outer surface of each of the semiconductor elements.9. The method of fabricating an optical concentrator for a photovoltaic solar cell according to claim 8, wherein said depositing an anti-reflection coating comprises depositing silicon nitride on the outer surface of each of the semiconductor elements.10. The method of fabricating an optical concentrator for a photovoltaic solar cell according to claim 8, wherein depositing the non-oxide composition on the outer surface of each of the semiconductor elements comprises decomposing source gases.11. The method of fabricating an optical concentrator for a photovoltaic solar cell according to claim 10, wherein said decomposing source gases includes decomposing ammonia with a gas selected from the group silane, chlorosilane, fluorosilane, and any combination thereof.12. The method of fabricating an optical concentrator for a photovoltaic solar cell according to claim 10, wherein decomposing source gases includes using reactive plasma.13. The method of fabricating an optical concentrator for a photovoltaic solar cell according to claim 10, wherein depositing the non-oxide composition comprises decomposing source gas using reactive plasma.14. The method of fabricating an optical concentrator for a photovoltaic solar cell according to claim 1, wherein said bonding comprises thermo-compression bonding each of said semiconductor elements to said perforated aluminum foil, dissolving said anti-reflection coating at a bond line of each of said semiconductor elements and forming an aluminum-silicon bond between the foil and each of said semiconductor elements.15. The method of fabricating an optical concentrator for a photovoltaic solar cell according to claim 14 wherein said thermo-compression bonding comprises thermo-compression bonding at a temperature less than the eutectic temperature for aluminum silicide formation.16. The method of fabricating an optical concentrator for a photovoltaic solar cell according to claim 14 wherein said thermo-compression bonding comprises thermo-compression bonding at a temperature less than 577° C.17. The method of fabricating an optical concentrator for a photovoltaic solar cell according to claim 1, wherein said removing said anti-reflection coating comprises exposing said portion of each of said semiconductor elements to hydrofluoric acid.18. The method of fabricating an optical concentrator for a photovoltaic solar cell according to claim 9, wherein exposing said portion of each of said semiconductor elements to hydrofluoric acid comprises at least one of spraying said back side with a hydrofluoric acid, immersing said back side in hydrofluoric acid, and applying a paste comprising hydrofluoric acid and an inert carrier to said back side.19. The method of fabricating an optical concentrator for a photovoltaic solar cell according to claim 1, wherein said removing said anti-reflection coating comprises one of mechanical polishing and chemical-mechanical polishing.20. The method of fabricating an optical concentrator for a photovoltaic solar cell according to claim 1, wherein depositing said anti-reflection coating on the outer surface of each of the semiconductor elements further comprises continuous moving of said elements by at least one of vibrating in trays, vibratory bowl tumbling, bowl tumbling, fluidized bed reacting, mechanical stirring, and a combination thereof to deposit a substantially uniform anti-reflection coating thickness of from about 600 to about 900 angstroms.21. The method of fabricating an optical concentrator for a photovoltaic solar cell according to claim 1, wherein depositing said anti-reflection coating on the outer surface of each of the semiconductor elements further comprises packing said semiconductor elements in a column and feeding source gases to said column to deposit a substantially uniform anti-reflection coating thickness of from about 600 to about 900 angstroms.22. A method of fabricating an optical concentrator for a photovoltaic solar cell comprising:providing a plurality of generally spherical semiconductor elements, each of said semiconductor elements including p and n type semiconductor materials forming a p-n junction within each said semiconductor element; depositing an anti-reflection coating on an outer surface of each of the semiconductor elements; bonding each of said semiconductor elements having said anti-reflection coating into a perforated aluminum foil array such that a portion of each of said semiconductor elements extends through said perforated aluminum foil array and ohmic contact is provided between said aluminum foil and one of said p and n type semiconductor materials; and removing said anti-reflection coating from said portion of said semiconductor elements and then exposing the other of said p and n type materials. 23. The method of fabricating an optical concentrator for a photovoltaic solar cell according to claim 22, wherein said depositing comprises depositing a metal oxide on the outer surface of each of the semiconductor elements.24. The method of fabricating an optical concentrator for a photovoltaic solar cell according to claim 23, wherein said depositing comprises depositing titanium dioxide on the outer surface of each of the semiconductor elements.25. The method of fabricating an optical concentrator for a photovoltaic solar cell according to claim 23, wherein depositing comprises sputter deposition of a metal coating from a target, followed by oxidation of said metal coating.26. The method of fabricating an optical concentrator for a photovoltaic solar cell according to claim 23, wherein depositing comprises hydrolizing a metal alkoxide in a sol-gel process and condensing said metal alkoxide on the outer surface of each of the semiconductor elements during continuous moving.27. The method of fabricating an optical concentrator for a photovoltaic solar cell according to claim 22, wherein said depositing comprises depositing a non-oxide composition on the outer surface of each of the semiconductor elements.28. The method of fabricating an optical concentrator for a photovoltaic solar cell according to claim 27, wherein said depositing comprises depositing silicon nitride on the outer surface of each of the semiconductor elements.29. The method of fabricating an optical concentrator for a photovoltaic solar cell according to claim 27, wherein depositing the non-oxide composition on the outer surface of each of the semiconductor elements comprises decomposing a source gas selected from the group consisting of at least one of silane, chlorosilane, fluorosilane, and any combination thereof, with a nitrogen source.30. The method of fabricating an optical concentrator for a photovoltaic solar cell according to claim 29, wherein the nitrogen source is selected from the group consisting of ammonia and nitrogen.31. The method of fabricating an optical concentrator for a photovoltaic solar cell according to claim 22, wherein said bonding comprises thermo-compression bonding each of said semiconductor elements to said perforated aluminum foil, dissolving said anti-reflection coating at a bond line of each of said semiconductor elements and forming an aluminum-silicon bond between the foil and each of said semiconductor elements.32. The method of fabricating an optical concentrator for a photovoltaic solar cell according to claim 31 wherein said thermo-compression bonding comprises thermo-compression bonding at a temperature less than the eutectic temperature for aluminum silicide formation.33. The method of fabricating an optical concentrator for a photovoltaic solar cell according to claim 22, wherein said removing comprises at least one of exposing said portion of each of said semiconductor elements to a mixture of hydrofluoric acid and nitric acid, exposing said portion of each of said semiconductor elements to a caustic etchant, mechanical polishing said portion of each of said semiconductor elements, and chemical-mechanical polishing said portion of each of said semiconductor elements.34. The method of fabricating an optical concentrator for a photovoltaic solar cell according to claim 22, wherein depositing an anti-reflection coating comprises continuous moving of said semiconductor elements by at least one of vibrating in trays, vibratory bowl tumbling, bowl tumbling, fluidized bed reacting, mechanical stirring, and a combination thereof to deposit a substantially uniform anti-reflection coating thickness of from about 600 to about 900 angstroms.35. The method of fabricating an optical concentrator for a photovoltaic solar cell according to claim 22 wherein depositing an anti-reflection coating comprises packing said semiconductor elements in a column and feeding source gases to said column to deposit a substantially uniform anti-reflection coating thickness of from about 600 to about 900 angstroms.36. A method of fabricating an optical concentrator for a photovoltaic solar cell comprising:providing a hexagonal array of substantially spherical depressions in a perforated aluminum foil; bonding a generally spherical semiconductor element having p and n type semiconductor materials forming a p-n junction, and an anti-reflection coating on an outer surface of the semiconductor element, into the perforated aluminum foil such that a portion of said semiconductor element extends through the perforated aluminum foil and ohmic contact is provided between the aluminum foil and one of the p and n type semiconductor materials; removing said anti-reflection coating from said portion of said semiconductor element and exposing the other of said p and n type materials. 37. The method of fabricating an optical concentrator for a photovoltaic solar cell according to claim 36, wherein said bonding comprises thermo-compression bonding said semiconductor element to said perforated aluminum foil, dissolving said anti-reflection coating at a bond line of each of said semiconductor elements and forming an aluminum-silicon bond between the foil and each of said semiconductor elements.38. The method of fabricating an optical concentrator for a photovoltaic solar cell according to claim 37 wherein said thermo-compression bonding comprises thermo-compression bonding at a temperature less than the eutectic temperature for aluminum silicide formation.39. The method of fabricating an optical concentrator for a photovoltaic solar cell according to claim 36, wherein said removing comprises one of exposing said portion of each of said semiconductor elements to a mixture of hydrofluoric acid and nitric acid, exposing said portion of each of said semiconductor elements to a caustic etchant, mechanical polishing said portion of each of said semiconductor elements, and chemical-mechanical polishing said portion of each of said semiconductor elements.
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