Discussed is a solar cell including a single crystalline semiconductor substrate having a first transparent conductive oxide layer positioned on a non-single crystalline emitter layer; a second transparent conductive oxide layer positioned over a rear surface of the single crystalline semiconductor substrate; a first electrode part including a first seed layer directly positioned on the first transparent conductive oxide layer; and a second electrode part including a second seed layer directly positioned on the second transparent conductive oxide layer, wherein the first transparent conductive oxide layer and the first seed layer have different conductivities, and wherein the second transparent conductive oxide layer and the second seed layer have different conductivities.

A photovoltaic cell is proposed. The photovoltaic cell includes a substrate of semiconductor material, and a plurality of contact terminals each one arranged on a corresponding contact area of the substrate for collecting electric charges being generated in the substrate by the light. For at least one of the contact areas, the substrate includes at least one porous semiconductor region extending from the contact area into the substrate for anchoring the whole corresponding contact terminal on the substrate. In the solution according to an embodiment of the invention, each porous semiconductor region has a porosity decreasing moving away from the contact area inwards the substrate. An etching module and an electrolytic module for processing photovoltaic cells, a production line for producing photovoltaic cells, and a process for producing photovoltaic cells are also proposed.

The embodiments herein relate to methods and apparatus for electroplating one or more materials onto a substrate. In many cases the material is a metal and the substrate is a semiconductor wafer, though the embodiments are no so limited. Typically, the embodiments herein utilize a channeled plate positioned near the substrate, creating a cross flow manifold defined on the bottom by the channeled plate, on the top by the substrate, and on the sides by a cross flow confinement ring. During plating, fluid enters the cross flow manifold both upward through the channels in the channeled plate, and laterally through a cross flow side inlet positioned on one side of the cross flow confinement ring. The flow paths combine in the cross flow manifold and exit at the cross flow exit, which is positioned opposite the cross flow inlet. These combined flow paths result in improved plating uniformity.

A two piece electroplating frame or electroplating frame is disclosed that is suitable for holding multiple solar cells during an electroplating operation. The electroplating frame can be formed from or at least covered with non-conductive material to reduce the collection of plating material on the electroplating frame. The two pieces of the electroplating frame can be coupled together around the solar cells by magnets distributed throughout the electroplating frame. The electroplating frame can include alignment features for self-aligning the assembly of the two pieces without requiring precise pre-alignment.

Methods described herein manage wafer entry into an electrolyte so that air entrapment due to initial impact of the wafer and/or wafer holder with the electrolyte is reduced and the wafer is moved in such a way that an electrolyte wetting wave front is maintained throughout immersion of the wafer also minimizing air entrapment.

A photoelectrosynthetically active heterostructure (PAH) is manufactured by forming or providing cavities in an electrically insulating material; forming or providing an electrically conductive layer on a side of the electrically insulating material; depositing an electrocatalyst cathode layer in the cavities; depositing one or more layers of light-absorbing semiconductor material in the cavities; depositing an electrocatalyst anode layer in the cavities; removing the layer of electrically conductive metal; and forming a hydrogen permeable layer over the electrocatalyst cathode layer. The one or more layers of light-absorbing semiconductor material can form a p-n junction or Schottky junction. The PAH can be used in photoelectrosynthetic processes to produce desired products, such as reduction product (e.g., methane gas, methanol, or carbon monoxide) from carbon dioxide and liquid waste streams.

A method of manufacturing a photoelectrode of an embodiment includes: preparing a stack including a first electrode layer having a light transmitting electrode, a second electrode layer having a metal electrode, and a photovoltaic layer disposed between the electrode layers; immersing the stack in an electrolytic solution containing an ion including a metal constituting a catalyst layer which is to be formed on the first electrode layer; and passing a current to the stack through the second electrode layer to electrochemically precipitate at least one selected from the metal and a compound containing the metal, onto the first electrode layer, thereby forming the catalyst layer.

One embodiment of the present invention can provide a system for fabrication of a photovoltaic structure. The system can include a physical vapor deposition tool configured to sequentially deposit a transparent conductive oxide layer and a metallic layer on an emitter layer formed in a first surface of a Si substrate, without requiring the Si substrate to be removed from the physical vapor deposition tool after depositing the transparent conductive oxide layer. The system can further include an electroplating tool configured to plate a metallic grid on the metallic layer and a thermal annealing tool configured to anneal the transparent conductive oxide layer.

A wafer-holding apparatus for electroplating of a solar cell wafer is provided. The wafer has chamfered corners and comprises a plurality of busbar areas, wherein at least one busbar area is near an edge of the wafer. The wafer-holding apparatus includes a plurality of wafer-holding mechanisms for maintaining contact with a wafer. One of the plurality of wafer-holding mechanisms can be longer than at least one other wafer-holding mechanism, thereby facilitating secure contact with the busbar area near the edge of the wafer, which is shorter than other busbar areas on the wafer due to the chamfered corners.

The embodiments herein relate to methods and apparatus for electroplating one or more materials onto a substrate. In many cases the material is a metal and the substrate is a semiconductor wafer, though the embodiments are no so limited. Typically, the embodiments herein utilize a channeled plate positioned near the substrate, creating a cross flow manifold defined on the bottom by the channeled plate, on the top by the substrate, and on the sides by a cross flow confinement ring. During plating, fluid enters the cross flow manifold both upward through the channels in the channeled plate, and laterally through a cross flow side inlet positioned on one side of the cross flow confinement ring. The flow paths combine in the cross flow manifold and exit at the cross flow exit, which is positioned opposite the cross flow inlet. These combined flow paths result in improved plating uniformity.