US 12,464,856 B2
Metallization patterns for photovoltaic cells
Eric Schneller, Bellingham, WA (US); Paolo Dilorenzo, Leuven (BE); Mahyar Mohammadnezhad, North York (CA); Michael Duane Alexander, Custer, WA (US); and Itai Suez, Georgetown (CA)
Assigned to SILFAB INC., Mississauga (CA)
Appl. No. 18/555,370
Filed by SILFAB INC., Mississauga (CA)
PCT Filed Apr. 13, 2022, PCT No. PCT/IB2022/053492
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 13, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/219568, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 20, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/174,593, filed on Apr. 14, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0047585 A1, Feb. 8, 2024
Int. Cl. H10F 77/00 (2025.01); H10F 71/00 (2025.01); H10F 77/20 (2025.01)
CPC H10F 77/935 (2025.01) [H10F 71/00 (2025.01); H10F 77/219 (2025.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus comprising:
a semiconductor material to absorb energy from a photon, wherein the energy is to be converted to a current;
a positive electrode disposed on a backside of the semiconductor material to collect the current from the backside;
a via to connect the backside of the semiconductor material electrically to a frontside of the semiconductor material;
a plurality of fingers disposed on the frontside of the semiconductor material to collect the current from the frontside; and
a trunkline connected to the plurality of fingers to deliver the current to the via, wherein the trunkline increases a cross-sectional area toward the via to reduce parasitic resistance, wherein a variation of the cross-sectional area maintains a substantially constant current density in the trunkline, wherein the cross-sectional area varies as a non-linear function with distance from the via, and wherein the non-linear function is parabolic.