Approaches for the foil-based metallization of solar cells and the resulting solar cells are described. In an example, a solar cell includes a substrate. A plurality of alternating N-type and P-type semiconductor regions is disposed in or above the substrate. A conductive contact structure is disposed above the plurality of alternating N-type and P-type semiconductor regions. The conductive contact structure includes a plurality of metal seed material regions providing a metal seed material region disposed on each of the alternating N-type and P-type semiconductor regions. A metal foil is disposed on the plurality of metal seed material regions, the metal foil having anodized portions isolating metal regions of the metal foil corresponding to the alternating N-type and P-type semiconductor regions.

Monolithic tandem chalcopyrite-perovskite photovoltaic devices and techniques for formation thereof are provided. In one aspect, a tandem photovoltaic device is provided. The tandem photovoltaic device includes a substrate; a bottom solar cell on the substrate, the bottom solar cell having a first absorber layer that includes a chalcopyrite material; and a top solar cell monolithically integrated with the bottom solar cell, the top solar cell having a second absorber layer that includes a perovskite material. A monolithic tandem photovoltaic device and method of formation thereof are also provided.

Methods and apparatuses for manufacturing self-aligned integrated back contact heterojunction solar cells are provided. In some embodiments, systems for forming a solar cell on a substrate are provided, the systems comprising: a master shadow mask positioned adjacent to the substrate on a first side of the master shadow mask; a first blocking mask placed adjacent to a second side of the master shadow mask; and a deposition machine that deposits material on the substrate through holes in the master shadow mask and the first blocking mask.

A back contact back junction thin-film solar cell is formed on a thin-film semiconductor solar cell. Preferably the thin film semiconductor material comprises crystalline silicon. Base regions, emitter regions, and front surface field regions are formed through ion implantation and annealing processes.

A method for forming a back contact on an absorber layer in a photovoltaic device includes forming a two dimensional material on a first substrate. An absorber layer including CuZnSnS(Se) (CZTSSe) is grown over the first substrate on the two dimensional material. A buffer layer is grown on the absorber layer on a side opposite the two dimensional material. The absorber layer is exfoliated from the two dimensional material to remove the first substrate from a backside of the absorber layer opposite the buffer layer. A back contact is deposited on the absorber layer.

A solar cell module is discussed. The solar cell module includes a plurality of solar cells each including a semiconductor substrate and a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes, which are formed on a back surface of the semiconductor substrate and are separated from each other, the plurality of solar cells disposed in a first direction; a plurality of first conductive lines connected to the plurality of first electrodes included in a first solar cell of the plurality of solar cells, and the plurality of first conductive lines extended in the first direction; a plurality of second conductive lines connected to the plurality of second electrodes included in a second solar cell of the plurality of solar cells which is adjacent to the first solar cell, and the plurality of second conductive lines extended in the first direction.

A solar cell module includes a plurality of solar cells each including a semiconductor substrate and first electrodes and second electrodes extended on a back surface of the semiconductor substrate, first conductive lines connected to the first electrodes at crossings between the first electrodes and the first conductive lines through first conductive adhesive layers, second conductive lines connected to the second electrodes at crossings between the second electrodes and the second conductive lines through the first conductive adhesive layers, and an intercell connector extended between a first solar cell and a second solar cell that are adjacent to each other. The first conductive lines connected to the first solar cell and the second conductive lines connected to the second solar cell are commonly connected to the intercell connector.

A method for manufacturing a back-contact solar cell, comprising the steps of: (i) preparing a semiconductor substrate comprising an n-layer and a p-layer at the back side of the semiconductor substrate; (ii) applying a conductive paste on both the n-layer and the p-layer, wherein the conductive paste comprises a silver (Ag) powder, a palladium (Pd) powder, an additional metal powder selected from the group consisting of molybdenum (Mo), boron (B) and a mixture thereof, a glass frit, and an organic medium; and (iii) firing the applied conductive paste.

Approaches for foil-based metallization of solar cells and the resulting solar cells are described. For example, a method of fabricating a solar cell involves locating a metal foil above a plurality of alternating N-type and P-type semiconductor regions disposed in or above a substrate. The method also involves laser welding the metal foil to the alternating N-type and P-type semiconductor regions. The method also involves patterning the metal foil by laser ablating through at least a portion of the metal foil at regions in alignment with locations between the alternating N-type and P-type semiconductor regions. The laser welding and the patterning are performed at the same time.

Laser foil trim approaches for foil-based metallization of solar cells, and the resulting solar cells, are described. For example, a method of fabricating a solar cell includes attaching a metal foil sheet to a surface of a wafer to provide a unified pairing of the metal foil sheet and the wafer, wherein the wafer has a perimeter and the metal foil sheet has a portion overhanging the perimeter. The method also includes laser scribing the metal foil sheet along the perimeter of the wafer using a laser beam that overlaps the metal foil sheet outside of the perimeter of the wafer and at the same time overlaps a portion of the unified pairing of the metal foil sheet and the wafer inside the perimeter of the wafer to remove the portion of the metal foil sheet overhanging the perimeter and to provide a metal foil piece coupled to the surface of the wafer.