METHOD FOR FABRICATING THIN PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS

The present invention provides a method for fabricating thin crystalline photovoltaic cells, comprising: providing a semiconductor substrate (10); forming a weakening layer (11) in a surface portion of the substrate (10); epitaxially growing a stack of semiconductor layers (20, 30) on the substrate (10) for forming an active layer of the photovoltaic cell, the one semiconductor layers of the stack (20, 30) having a first thermal coefficient of expansion (TCE1); providing on the semiconductor layer or stack of semiconductor layers (20, 30) a patterned contact layer (40, 41, 42) for forming electrical contacts of the photovoltaic cell, the patterned contact layer (40, 41, 42) having a second thermal coefficient of expansion (TCE2) different from the first thermal coefficient of expansion (TCE1); and wherein providing a patterned contact layer simultaneously induces a tensile stress in the weakening layer (11), for example by an inherent temperature step, resulting in a lift-off from the substrate of a structure comprising the stack of semiconductor layers and the patterned contact layer.

Patent Publication Number: EP2617066

Year filing: 2011

Year approval: 2014

Year publication: 2014

Status: Assigned

Technology domains: Semiconductors

Validated for IOF-key: Yes

Attributed to: Associatie KULeuven