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. 27, 2010
Filed:
Dec. 01, 2006
Sergey Lopatin, Morgan Hill, CA (US);
Nicolay Y. Kovarsky, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
David Eaglesham, Perrysburg, OH (US);
John O. Dukovic, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Charles Gay, Westlake Village, CA (US);
Sergey Lopatin, Morgan Hill, CA (US);
Nicolay Y. Kovarsky, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
David Eaglesham, Perrysburg, OH (US);
John O. Dukovic, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Charles Gay, Westlake Village, CA (US);
Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
Embodiments of the invention contemplate the formation of a low cost solar cell using a novel high speed electroplating method and apparatus to form a metal contact structure having selectively formed metal lines using an electrochemical plating process. The apparatus and methods described herein remove the need to perform one or more high temperature screen printing processes to form conductive features on the surface of a solar cell substrate. The resistance of interconnects formed in a solar cell device greatly affects the efficiency of the solar cell. It is thus desirable to form a solar cell device that has a low resistance connection that is reliable and cost effective. Therefore, one or more embodiments of the invention described herein are adapted to form a low cost and reliable interconnecting layer using an electrochemical plating process containing a common metal, such as copper.