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:
Sep. 23, 2014
Filed:
Feb. 05, 2012
Venkatesan Murali, San Jose, CA (US);
Gopal Prabhu, San Jose, CA (US);
Thomas Edward Dinan, Jr., San Jose, CA (US);
Orion Leland, Fremont, CA (US);
Venkatesan Murali, San Jose, CA (US);
Gopal Prabhu, San Jose, CA (US);
Thomas Edward Dinan, Jr., San Jose, CA (US);
Orion Leland, Fremont, CA (US);
GTAT.Corporation, Merrimack, NH (US);
Abstract
The invention provides for a semiconductor wafer with a metal support element suitable for the formation of a flexible or sag tolerant photovoltaic cell. A method for forming a photovoltaic cell may comprise providing a semiconductor wafer have a thickness greater than 150 μm, the wafer having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first and etching the semiconductor wafer a first time so that the first etching reduces the thickness of the semiconductor wafer to less than 150 μm. After the wafer has been etched a first time, a metal support element may be constructed on or over the first surface; and a photovoltaic cell may be fabricated, wherein the semiconductor wafer comprises the base of the photovoltaic cell.