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:
Apr. 26, 1994
Filed:
Dec. 30, 1992
Volker Lehmann, Munich, DE;
Reinhard Stengl, Stadtbergen, DE;
Hermann Wendt, Neukeferloh, DE;
Wolfgang Hoenlein, Unterhaching, DE;
Josef Willer, Riemerling, DE;
Siemens Aktiengesellschaft, Munich, DE;
Abstract
A self-supporting layer of n-doped monocrystalline silicon is stripped from a substrate wafer of n-doped, monocrystalline silicon by electrochemical etching for manufacturing a solar cell. Holes are formed in the substrate wafer by electrochemical etching, particularly in a fluoride-containing, acidic electrolyte wherein the substrate wafer is connected as an anode. When a depth of the holes that essentially corresponds to the thickness of the self-supporting layer is reached, the process parameters of the etching are modified such that the self-supporting layer is stripped as a consequence of the holes growing together. The solar cell is manufactured from the self-supporting layer, and the method can be applied repeatedly on the same substrate wafer for stripping a plurality of self-supporting layers.