Passivating and Conductive Layer Structure for Solar Cells

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This invention discloses a novel, transparent, passivating and conductive layer structure for solar cells, particularly suitable for high-temperature applications. The new structure uses a tunnel oxide layer (such as silicon oxide or aluminum oxide) in combination with a microcrystalline silicon carbide (μc-SiCx) layer that is n-doped and preferably hydrogenated. This layer arrangement can be applied to the front side (and/or backside) of solar cells to provide both superior passivation and efficient electron selectivity without the disadvantage of increased light absorption common with traditional polycrystalline silicon contacts. The patent also describes efficient methods for producing these layers.

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• Front-side and/or backside contacts for high-efficiency silicon solar cells.
• Solar cells that must maintain high performance at elevated temperatures (high-temperature solar cells).
• Industrial production of advanced photovoltaic panels with improved energy conversion rates.
• Solar cells used in demanding environments (e.g., concentrated photovoltaics, space applications).
• Retrofit or upgrade of existing solar panel designs to boost efficiency and durability.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Enables higher efficiency solar cells by reducing recombination losses and increasing carrier selectivity.
• Minimizes parasitic optical absorption compared to standard polycrystalline silicon, allowing more light to generate electricity.
• Provides high thermal stability, making the cells suitable for high-temperature processes and operation.
• Allows thicker, robust carrier-selective layers without sacrificing performance, improving process reliability.
• Reduces complexity and potential cost for dual-sided passivating contacts, simplifying manufacturing.
• Prevents hydrogen loss from the passivation stack, maintaining long-term passivation quality.
• Improves compatibility with existing cell architectures and production processes.

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Patent Abstract

The invention relates to a layered structure for solar cells, preferably for high-temperature solar cells, having tunnel oxide-passivated contacts on the front side or on the front and back side of the solar cells consisting of at least one tunnel oxide layer, in particular a silicon oxide layer SiOx where x = 1-2 or an aluminum oxide layer AlOx where x = 1-2 and a μc-SiCx(n) layer, where x is 50.5, preferably ≥ 0.5 to 0.9, wherein (n) = n-doped and wherein in an advantageous embodiment μc-SiCx(n) is a hydrogenated μc-SiCx:H (n) layer. The layered structure according to the invention may preferably be configured as a front-side contact of a solar cell, preferably a high-temperature solar cell. The invention further relates to a process for producing the layered structure and to a solar cell containing the layered structure according to the invention as a front-side or as a front-side and back-side contact.