Semiconductor device manufacturing: process – Making device or circuit responsive to nonelectrical signal – Responsive to electromagnetic radiation
Reexamination Certificate
2006-12-20
2010-10-26
Landau, Matthew C (Department: 2813)
Semiconductor device manufacturing: process
Making device or circuit responsive to nonelectrical signal
Responsive to electromagnetic radiation
C438S071000, C438S087000, C257S448000, C257S457000, C257SE31119, C257SE31124, C257SE31130, C257SE21145, C136S256000, C136S255000
Reexamination Certificate
active
07820475
ABSTRACT:
In one embodiment, active diffusion junctions of a solar cell are formed by diffusing dopants from dopant sources selectively deposited on the back side of a wafer. The dopant sources may be selectively deposited using a printing method, for example. Multiple dopant sources may be employed to form active diffusion regions of varying doping levels. For example, three or four active diffusion regions may be fabricated to optimize the silicon/dielectric, silicon/metal, or both interfaces of a solar cell. The front side of the wafer may be textured prior to forming the dopant sources using a texturing process that minimizes removal of wafer material. Openings to allow metal gridlines to be connected to the active diffusion junctions may be formed using a self-aligned contact opening etch process to minimize the effects of misalignments.
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Cousins Peter John
De Ceuster Denis
Manning Jane E.
Swanson Richard M.
Landau Matthew C
Okamoto & Benedicto LLP
Staniszewski Aaron
Sunpower Corporation
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