Fabrication of contacts for silicon solar cells including printing burn through layers

Abstract

A method for fabricating a contact () for a solar cell (). The method includes providing a solar cell substrate () with a surface that is covered or includes an antireflective coating (). For example, the substrate () may be positioned adjacent or proximate to an outlet of an inkjet printer () or other deposition device. The method continues with forming a burn through layer () on the coating () by depositing a metal oxide precursor (e.g., using an inkjet or other non-contact printing method to print or apply a volume of liquid or solution containing the precursor). The method includes forming a contact layer () comprising silver over or on the burn through layer (), and then annealing is performed to electrically connect the contact layer () to the surface of the solar cell substrate () through a portion of the burn through layer () and the coating ().