Protective cover for a copper containing conductor

• Main Authors: Heres Klaas, Wolters Robertus Adrianus Maria, Luchies Johannes Reinder Marc
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 30.08.2016
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

The method of manufacturing a solar cell comprises the steps of: (a) providing the semiconductor substrate in a deposition chamber of a vapour deposition apparatus, which semiconductor substrate comprises a passivation layer at a first side thereof which passivation layer is patterned to define contact areas at which the copper-containing conductor is present; (b) supplying a gaseous silicon species into the deposition chamber, resulting in the formation of a surface layer of a copper silicide on a surface of the copper-containing conductor and in the formation of amorphous silicon on top of the passivation layer, and (c) providing a protective layer of an insulating silicon compound on the surface layer, wherein the protective cover comprising both the surface layer and the protective layer.