US 12,218,265 B2
Methods and systems for photovoltaic devices using silicon particles
David Berney Needleman, San Francisco, CA (US); Matthew Robinson, San Francisco, CA (US); Nathanael Fehrenbach, Berkeley, CA (US); Jimmy Mei, San Ramon, CA (US); and Arnaud Lepert, Belmont, CA (US)
Assigned to LEAP PHOTOVOLTAICS INC., San Francisco, CA (US)
Filed by LEAP PHOTOVOLTAICS INC., San Francisco, CA (US)
Filed on Sep. 12, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/931,462.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/242,960, filed on Sep. 10, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0081214 A1, Mar. 16, 2023
Int. Cl. H01L 31/0747 (2012.01); H01L 31/0224 (2006.01); H01L 31/074 (2012.01); H01L 31/18 (2006.01); H01L 31/20 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 31/0747 (2013.01) [H01L 31/022466 (2013.01); H01L 31/074 (2013.01); H01L 31/1804 (2013.01); H01L 31/1884 (2013.01); H01L 31/202 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for fabricating a photovoltaic device, comprising:
applying a coating layer that surrounds each of a plurality of silicon particles, wherein the coating layer is applied to the plurality of silicon particles by deposition;
implanting the plurality of silicon particles into a substrate layer such that an exposed portion of each of the plurality of silicon particles extends away from a surface of the substrate layer;
removing a portion of the coating layer that is positioned around the exposed portion of each of the plurality of silicon particles;
placing an insulator layer on the surface of the substrate layer; and
placing a selective carrier transport layer on the exposed portion of each of the plurality of silicon particles,
wherein the coating layer includes an oxide layer and a polysilicon layer, and wherein the oxide layer is positioned between each of the plurality of silicon particles and the polysilicon layer.