Lift-off Contact Separation Method for Rear Contact Solar Cells

Li, Zhongtian; Cordiner, David; Borojevic, Nino; Rodriguez, John; Lennon, Alison

doi:10.2352/j.imagingsci.technol.2012.56.4.040505

Cited by 4 publications

(7 citation statements)

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“…However the dissolution/stripping step can be slow with Granek reporting the need to form small holes in the metal layer to assist the dissolution and subsequent lift-off. Li et al [86] have developed a similar lift-off technique that employs sonication in a solvent of the material used to form the isolation lines to lift-off the overlying metal. They demonstrate the formation of isolation lines using both acetone-soluble and water-soluble polymers and metal lift-off without the requirement to make openings through the metal layer to initiate dissolution of the polymer.…”

Section: Structuring Methods For Rear Contactsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evolution of metal plating for silicon solar cell metallisation

Lennon

Wenham

2012

Progress in Photovoltaics

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105

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Increasing silver prices and reducing silicon wafer thicknesses provide incentives for silicon solar cell manufacturing to develop new metallisation strategies that do not rely on screen printing and preferably reduce silver usage. Recently, metal plating has re‐emerged as a metallisation process that may address these future requirements. This paper reports on the evolution of metal plating techniques, from their use in early silicon solar cells, to current light‐induced plating processes. Unlike screen‐printed metallisation, metal plating typically requires an initial patterning step to create openings in a masking layer for the subsequent self‐aligned metallisation. Consequently, relevant recently‐developed dielectric patterning methods are also reviewed because, in many cases, the plating process must be adapted to the properties of the patterning method used. The potential of new light‐induced plating processes to form cost‐effective copper metallisation is supported by the recent activity in the development of metal plating tools for commercial silicon solar cell manufacture. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Section: Structuring Methods For Rear Contactsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…(a) Novolac resin line printed using an aerosol jet printer on a textured thin silicon dioxide surface. (b) Isolation line in a 1.2‐µm thick aluminium layer formed by sonicating the wafer in acetone for 15 min at 25 °C (from ).…”

Section: Rear‐surface Metallisationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolution of metal plating for silicon solar cell metallisation

Lennon

Wenham

2012

Progress in Photovoltaics

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105

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“…Li et al reported the aerosol printing of aqueous and organic polymer solutions for masks that facilitated metal lift-off for electrode isolation for BC cells. 33,99 Aluminium, that was thermally evaporated over both aerosol-printed novolac resin (in sulfolane) and aqueous polyacrylic acid (PAA) isolation lines, was selectively lifted-off by sonicating in an ultrasonic bath for 15 min at 40 kHz frequency (see Figs. 10 and 11).…”

Section: Patterning Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The holes acted as vias for transistors fabricated for polymer display devices, which retained the patterned polymer layer as part of the final device. The openings were 'donut'-shaped with the perimeter regions swelling 10 Process for forming isolation lines in a metal electrode for BC cells using aerosol-printed polymer (reproduced with permission from Li et al 99 )…”

Section: Inkjet Deposition Of Polymer Solventsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Patterned masking using polymers: insights and developments from silicon photovoltaics

Lennon

2016

International Materials Reviews

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Patterning is fundamental to advancing most technologies. Although the challenge for electronic integrated circuits continues to be reduced feature size other applications have different requirements and challenges. This review contributes insights from silicon photovoltaics where patterning is required for selective doping etching and metallisation. Earlier silicon solar cell devices extensively used optical lithography to fabricate devices in the laboratory with high device efficiencies being achieved. However industrial cell fabrication has largely relied on uniformly doped silicon layers and lower resolution screen-printing for metal electrode formation because optical lithography is considered too expensive and slow. This has resulted in the average energy conversion efficiencies of industrially produced cells remaining on average 5% lower than the value of 25% reported in 1999 for cells patterned with optical lithography. Motivated by the goal of bridging this efficiency gap many new polymer patterning methods which do not require the formation of a qualified mask have been developed for different silicon solar cell designs. These polymer patterning methods fall into two general classes; (i) where the polymer mask is directly printed on the cell surface; and (ii) where a pattern is formed in a polymer layer using printers or lasers to effect the patterning. Many of the methods which are reviewed in this paper although developed with specific photovoltaic requirements in mind may also find applications in other fields of research and technology.

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“…To isolate both the contacts, different cell-based metallization techniques can be used. One such method is patterning metal seed layer [78,79], with electroplating to reduce resistance [80]. However, this plating up process needs electrical contact to the seed metal lines, which may lead to be problem with thinner wafers.…”

Section: Interdigitated Back Contact Solar Cellmentioning

confidence: 99%

Review on Metallization in Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells

Balaji¹,

Raval²,

Saravanan³

2020

Solar Cells

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Solar cell market is led by silicon photovoltaics and holds around 92% of the total market. Silicon solar cell fabrication process involves several critical steps which affects cell efficiency to large extent. This includes surface texturization, diffusion, antireflective coatings, and contact metallization. Among the critical processes, metallization is more significant. By optimizing contact metallization, electrical and optical losses of the solar cells can be reduced or controlled. Conventional and advanced silicon solar cell processes are discussed briefly. Subsequently, different metallization technologies used for front contacts in conventional silicon solar cells such as screen printing and nickel/copper plating are reviewed in detail. Rear metallization is important to improve efficiency in passivated emitter rear contact cells and interdigitated back contact cells. Current models on local Al contact formation in passivated emitter rear contact (PERC) cells are reviewed, and the influence of process parameters on the formation of local Al contacts is discussed. Also, the contact mechanism and the influence of metal contacts in interdigitated back contact (IBC) cells are reviewed briefly. The research highlights on metallization of conventional screen printed solar cells are compared with PERC and IBC cells.

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Lift-off Contact Separation Method for Rear Contact Solar Cells

Cited by 4 publications

References 0 publications

Evolution of metal plating for silicon solar cell metallisation

Evolution of metal plating for silicon solar cell metallisation

Patterned masking using polymers: insights and developments from silicon photovoltaics

Review on Metallization in Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells

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