Solar cell with structured gridline endpoints vertices

• Main Authors: FORK DAVID K, SOLBERG SCOTT E
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 22.04.2014
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

An H-pattern solar cell structure includes at least one busbar disposed in a first direction on an upper surface of a semiconductor substrate, and parallel gridlines formed on the semiconductor substrate such that each gridline extends over and contacts each busbar, wherein each gridline includes a central gridline portion and at least one endpoint structure disposed on at least one end thereof, the endpoint structure having a nominal width that is at least 1.5 times the width of the central gridline portion. The gridlines are co-extruded with a sacrificial material such that a base portion of each gridline forms a flattened structure with sacrificial material formed thereon. The endpoint structures are formed such that Each central gridline portion forms a raised vertex portion extending upward from the upper surface of each busbar.