US 12,080,811 B2
Metal-foil-assisted fabrication of thin-silicon solar cell
Seung Bum Rim, Palo Alto, CA (US); and Gabriel Harley, Mountain View, CA (US)
Assigned to MAXEON SOLAR PTE. LTD., Singapore (SG)
Filed by MAXEON SOLAR PTE. LTD., Singapore (SG)
Filed on Feb. 16, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/176,489.
Application 17/176,489 is a continuation of application No. 15/722,480, filed on Oct. 2, 2017, abandoned.
Application 15/722,480 is a continuation of application No. 13/725,580, filed on Dec. 21, 2012, granted, now 9,812,592, issued on Nov. 7, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2021/0175375 A1, Jun. 10, 2021
Int. Cl. H01L 31/0216 (2014.01); H01L 31/02 (2006.01); H01L 31/0224 (2006.01); H01L 31/068 (2012.01); H01L 31/18 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 31/0216 (2013.01) [H01L 31/02002 (2013.01); H01L 31/022425 (2013.01); H01L 31/022441 (2013.01); H01L 31/0682 (2013.01); H01L 31/1896 (2013.01); Y02E 10/547 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A solar cell comprising:
a primary substrate having a front side that faces the sun during normal operation and a backside opposite the front side;
a P-type emitter and an N-type emitter on the backside of the primary substrate;
a dielectric layer on the P-type and N-type emitters;
a metal foil on the dielectric layer, the metal foil comprising a first contact finger that extends through the dielectric layer to electrically connect to the P-type emitter, a second contact finger that extends through the dielectric layer to electrically connect to the N-type emitter, and a handling area that extends beyond a perimeter of the primary substrate, the metal foil configured to carry the primary substrate when handled by the handling area; and
a secondary substrate on the metal foil,
wherein the metal foil includes a finger separation area between the dielectric layer and the secondary substrate and between the first contact finger and the second contact finger, the finger separation area comprising empty space.