The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 18, 1994
Filed:
Dec. 22, 1992
Fritz Wald, Wayland, MA (US);
Jacob Murad, Somerville, MA (US);
Mobil Solar Energy Corporation, Billerica, MA (US);
Abstract
An improved solar cell of the type including a semiconductor substrate having a shallow p-n junction adjacent its front surface, a rear electrode affixed in adherent mechanical and electrical contact with the rear surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a front generally grid-shaped electrode including an array of narrow, elongate, parallel fingers and at least one bus bar extending at right angles to the fingers in electrical contact therewith affixed in mechanically adherent and low resistance electrical contact with the front surface of the semiconductor substrate. The improvement includes the removal of the bus bar portion of the front grid-shaped electrode from intimate mechanical and electrical contact with the front surface of the semiconductor substrate. The improvement increases the open circuit voltage and efficiency of the solar cell, and allows the bus bar portion of the grid shaped electrode to be formed of materials different from the finger portions of that electrode thereby providing cost advantages and design flexibility without detriment to solar cell efficiency. A method of making the improved solar cell also is disclosed.