초록 ▼

A very thin photovoltaic cell is formed by implanting gas ions below the surface of a donor body such as a semiconductor wafer. Ion implantation defines a cleave plane, and a subsequent step exfoliates a thin lamina from the wafer at the cleave plane. A photovoltaic cell, or all or a portion of the

A very thin photovoltaic cell is formed by implanting gas ions below the surface of a donor body such as a semiconductor wafer. Ion implantation defines a cleave plane, and a subsequent step exfoliates a thin lamina from the wafer at the cleave plane. A photovoltaic cell, or all or a portion of the base or emitter of a photovoltaic cell, is formed within the lamina. In preferred embodiments, the wafer is affixed to a receiver before the cleaving step. Electrical contact can be formed to both surfaces of the lamina, or to one surface only.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method for making a photovoltaic module, the method comprising: affixing a plurality of semiconductor wafers to a receiver; andafter the affixing step, cleaving a semiconductor lamina from each of the semiconductor wafers at a cleave plane within the wafer, wherein each lamina is bonded to the

1. A method for making a photovoltaic module, the method comprising: affixing a plurality of semiconductor wafers to a receiver; andafter the affixing step, cleaving a semiconductor lamina from each of the semiconductor wafers at a cleave plane within the wafer, wherein each lamina is bonded to the receiver,wherein the photovoltaic module comprises the receiver and the laminae. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein each lamina has a thickness between about 1 and about 80 microns. 3. The method of claim 2 wherein each lamina has a thickness between about 1 and about 5 microns. 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the semiconductor wafers are monocrystalline float-zone silicon wafers. 5. The method of claim 1 further comprising, before the affixing step, implanting each of the plurality of wafers with one or more gas ions, wherein ion implantation defines the cleave plane for the cleaving step. 6. The method of claim 1 wherein each lamina comprises at least a portion of a base, or of an emitter, or both, of a photovoltaic cell. 7. The method of claim 6 wherein the photovoltaic cells are electrically connected in series. 8. The method of claim 6 wherein each lamina comprises at least a portion of a base of a photovoltaic cell. 9. The method of claim 6 wherein each lamina comprises a base and an emitter of a photovoltaic cell. 10. The method of claim 1 wherein a metallic material is disposed between each lamina and the receiver. 11. The method of claim 1 wherein the metallic material comprises titanium or aluminum. 12. The method of claim 1 wherein a dielectric layer is disposed between each lamina and the receiver. 13. The method of claim 1 wherein a transparent conductive oxide is disposed between each lamina and the receiver. 14. The method of claim 1 wherein a surface of the receiver proximal to the laminae comprises glass. 15. The method of claim 1 wherein, in the completed photovoltaic module, during normal operation, incident light first traverses the receiver, then enters the laminae.