Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.

Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.

Takahiro Mishima

Masato Shigematsu

Hitoshi Sakata

Mitsuaki Morigami

Naofumi Hayashi

Daisuke Ide

Yuji Hishida

Hiroyuki Mori

Yasuko Hirayama

Hiroshi Kanno

Tasuku Ishiguro

Hiroki Ohbo

Tsuyoshi Takahama

Akimichi Maekawa

Toshiaki Baba

Keiichiro Masuko

Ryo Goto

Taiki Hashiguchi

Mamoru Arimoto

Kazunori Fujita

Koichi Kubo

Tsutomu Yamaguchi

Hiroryuki Mori

A solar cell is provided that comprising a semiconductor substrate having a first conductivity type; a first semiconductor layer having the first conductivity type, and on a principal surface of the semiconductor substrate; an insulation layer on the first semiconductor layer; a protective layer on the insulation layer; and a second semiconductor layer having a second conductivity type, and on the semiconductor substrate and the protective layer. A recessed region is positioned at a lateral side of the insulation layer, the recessed region formed by recessing a side surface of the insulation layer inward from a side surface of the first semiconductor layer and a side surface of the protective layer, and the second semiconductor layer is positioned in the recessed region above the first semiconductor layer in the recessed region.

Method of manufacturing solar cell and solar cell

An aspect of the invention provides a solar cell that comprises a semiconductor substrate having a light-receiving surface and a rear surface; a first semiconductor layer having a first conductivity type; a second semiconductor layer having a second conductivity type, the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer being formed on the rear surface, and a trench formed in the rear surface, wherein the first semiconductor layer is formed on the rear surface in which the trench is not formed, and the second semiconductor layer is formed on a side surface of the trench in an arrangement direction in which the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer are alternately arranged and on a bottom surface of the trench.

Solar cell and method of manufacturing the same

A solar cell includes: a base substrate that has a principle surface; a first semiconductor layer provided in a first region on the principle surface; a second semiconductor layer provided in a second region on the principle surface; an n-side electrode provided on the first semiconductor layer; a p-side electrode provided on the second semiconductor layer; and grooves that separate the n-side electrode and the p-side electrode from each other. The respective widths of the grooves in a direction in which the n-side electrode and the p-side electrode are spaced apart are set to be wider in the outer peripheral region than in the inner region.

Solar cell and solar cell module

A solar cell module includes: first and second solar cell strings each including solar cells arranged in an arrangement direction and electrically connected to one another; and a light diffusion sheet disposed between the first and second solar cell strings. The first and second solar cell strings are disposed adjacent to each other and parallel to each other along the arrangement direction. The light diffusion sheet is disposed such that both side edge portions of the light diffusion sheet overlap light-receiving surface sides of side edge portions of the first and second solar cell strings.

Solar cell module

A first solar cell is electrically connected to a second solar cell electrically and arranged in an array direction. Each of the first and second solar cell comprises: a light-receiving surface; a rear surface; a plurality of n-type side electrodes and p-type side electrodes both formed in the array direction on the rear surface; a wiring member electrically connecting the first solar cell and the second solar cell and arranged over the plurality of n-type side electrodes and the plurality of p-type side electrodes; an n-type side electrode insulating member that is arranged over the wiring member and covers a part of the plurality of n-type side electrodes, the part facing the wiring member; and a p-type side electrode insulating member that is arranged over the wiring member and covers a part of the plurality of p-type side electrodes, the part facing the wiring member.

A solar cell manufacturing method includes: forming a first amorphous semiconductor layer of one conductivity type on a main surface of a semiconductor substrate; forming an insulation layer on the first amorphous semiconductor layer; etching to remove the insulation layer and the first amorphous semiconductor layer in a predetermined first region; forming a second amorphous semiconductor layer of an other conductivity type on the insulation layer after the etching, the other conductivity type being different from the one conductivity type; and etching to remove the second amorphous semiconductor layer in a predetermined second region, wherein the etching to remove the insulation layer and the first amorphous semiconductor layer in a predetermined first region includes: applying an etching paste to the insulation layer in the predetermined first region; and etching to remove the insulation layer and the first amorphous semiconductor layer in the predetermined first region using the etching paste.

Solar cell manufacturing method using etching paste

The solar cell () of the present invention is provided with an n-side electrode (), a p-side electrode (), and a photoelectric conversion unit () having a first main surface () and a second main surface (). The first main surface () includes an n-type surface () and a p-type surface (). The photoelectric conversion unit () has a semiconductor substrate () and a semiconductor layer (). The semiconductor substrate () has first and second main surfaces (). The semiconductor layer () is arranged on a portion of the first main surface (). The semiconductor layer () constitutes either the n-type surface () or the p-type surface (). The semiconductor layer () includes a relatively thick portion () and a relative thin portion (). The n-side electrode () or the p-side electrode () is arranged on at least the relatively thin portion () of the semiconductor layer (). The solar cell of the present invention, by means of the aforementioned configuration, is able to extend the lifetime of the minor carriers by means of the relatively thick portion (), to maintain low resistance between the semiconductor substrate () and the n-side electrode () by means of the relatively thin portion (), and to increase hole and electron collection efficiency.

Solar cell

A solar cell includes semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type; first semiconductor layer having a first conductivity type; second semiconductor layer having a second conductivity type; first electrode; second electrode; and insulating layer. First semiconductor layer and second semiconductor layer are formed on rear surface. When one end portion of insulating layer which is formed on first semiconductor layer and which is on a side close to first electrode is defined as first insulating-layer end portion and another end portion of insulating layer on a side close to second electrode is defined as second insulating-layer end portion in arrangement direction x, a distance from end point of second-semiconductor-layer end portion in contact with rear surface to second insulating-layer end portion in arrangement direction x is shorter than a distance from end point to first insulating-layer end portion in arrangement direction x.

Solar cell and method for manufacturing solar cell

Provided is a solar cell with improved photoelectric conversion efficiency. The solar cell includes a photoelectric conversion body and first and second electrodes. The photoelectric conversion body includes a substrate made of semiconductor material. The first and second electrodes are disposed at intervals on one main surface of the photoelectric conversion body. Terraces each formed of a crystal plane are provided on a main surface of the substrate on the one main surface side of the photoelectric conversion body. At least one of the terraces exists between the first electrode and the second electrode.

A second semiconductor layer is formed to cover a first principle surface of a semiconductor substrate including a insulating layer formed on the first principle surface. A portion of the second semiconductor layer formed on the insulating layer is partially removed by etching using a first etchant whose etching rate is higher for the second semiconductor layer than for the insulating layer. A portion of the insulating layer is removed by etching, through the removed portion of the second semiconductor layer, using a second etchant whose etching rate for the insulating layer is higher than that for the second semiconductor layer, thereby exposing apart of the first semiconductor layer. Electrodes are formed on the exposed part of the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer, respectively.

Method of manufacturing solar cell

A manufacturing includes forming an insulating layer covering a portion of a first semiconductor layer on a semiconductor substrate, removing a portion of the first semiconductor layer which is not covered with the insulating layer with an etchant to expose a potion of the first main surface, and cleaning the first main surface using a cleaning liquid containing hydrofluoric acid. An etching rate by the etchant to etch the first semiconductor layer is higher than an etching rate by the etchant to etch a first surface layer of the insulating layer, the first surface layer being on the side opposite to the first semiconductor layer. An etching rate by the cleaning liquid to etch a second surface layer of the insulating layer, the second surface layer being on the first semiconductor layer side, is lower than an etching rate by the cleaning liquid to etch the first surface layer.

Growing community of inventors

Kobe, Japan

Takahiro Mishima