US 12,080,815 B2
Laser assisted metallization process for solar cell stringing
Pei Hsuan Lu, San Jose, CA (US); Benjamin I. Hsia, Fremont, CA (US); David Aaron Randolph Barkhouse, Oakland, CA (US); Lewis C. Abra, San Francisco, CA (US); George G. Correos, Corralitos, CA (US); Marc Robinson, Cedar Park, TX (US); Paul W. Loscutoff, Castro Valley, CA (US); Ryan Reagan, Hayward, CA (US); David Okawa, Redwood City, CA (US); Tamir Lance, Los Gatos, CA (US); and Thierry Nguyen, San Francisco, CA (US)
Assigned to Maxeon Solar Pte. Ltd., Singapore (SG)
Filed by Maxeon Solar Pte. Ltd., Singapore (SG)
Filed on Apr. 21, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/137,935.
Application 18/137,935 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/376,802, filed on Apr. 5, 2019, granted, now 11,362,220, issued on Jun. 14, 2022.
Application 18/137,935 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/377,000, filed on Apr. 5, 2019, granted, now 11,664,472.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/773,168, filed on Nov. 29, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/773,172, filed on Nov. 29, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/773,148, filed on Nov. 29, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/654,198, filed on Apr. 6, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2023/0253517 A1, Aug. 10, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H01L 31/0465 (2014.01); H01L 31/0224 (2006.01); H01L 31/0475 (2014.01); H01L 31/049 (2014.01); H01L 31/05 (2014.01)
CPC H01L 31/0465 (2014.12) [H01L 31/022433 (2013.01); H01L 31/0475 (2014.12); H01L 31/049 (2014.12); H01L 31/0508 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of fabricating a solar cell string, the method comprising:
providing a first solar cell having a front side and a back side, wherein the front side is a light-receiving side of the first solar cell;
providing a second solar cell having a front side and a back side, wherein the front side is a light-receiving side of the second solar cell;
disposing a metal foil over the backside of the first solar cell and over the front side of the second solar cell;
forming one or more laser assisted metallization conductive contact structures each having a discrete locally deposited metal portion electrically connected to the back side of the first solar cell, wherein the discrete locally deposited metal portion of each of the one or more laser assisted metallization conductive contact structures is formed from the metal foil and is separated from an entirety of the metal foil such that the discrete locally deposited metal portion is not connected to the entirety of the metal foil; and
forming one or more laser assisted metallization conductive contact structures each having a discrete locally deposited metal portion electrically connected to the front side of the second solar cell, wherein the discrete locally deposited metal portion of each of the one or more laser assisted metallization conductive contact structures is formed from the metal foil and is separated from an entirety of the metal foil such that the discrete locally deposited metal portion is not connected to the entirety of the metal foil.