Importance

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Abstract

A solar cell is disclosed having electrical connections only on the rear side to reduce shading and improve efficiency of the cell. The solar cell includes a crystalline silicon substrate exhibiting crystallographic planes on the front and rear sides and a flat, doped emitter layer on at least the front side. The solar cell also includes a plurality of elongated slots aligned parallel to crystallographic planes and extending through the entire thickness of the silicon substrate of the solar cell. A high doping, corresponding to the conductivity type of the emitter is located in the slots. Two contact patterns are located on the rear side of the solar cell. The first is for electrical connection to the bulk material and the second is for electrical connection to the emitter and at least partly overlaps the slots. The slots are crystallographically etched anisotropically from the rear side and taper toward the front side of the cell. Also disclosed is a method for producing a solar cell. In this method, a plurality of slots are etched into, and extending through the entire thickness of, a crystalline silicon substrate in an alkaline, crystal-oriented and masked manner. A flat emitter layer is produced by diffusion of a dopant. Finally a first and second contact pattern are produced on the rear side of the solar cell by imprinting and burning in a conductive path. The second contact pattern is formed to overlap the slots.

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First Claim