USRE28610E
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fine Geometry Solar Cell
Assignee: —
•
Filing: 1974-11-19
•
Granted: 1975-11-11
•
Expires: 1994-11-19
Abstract
Abstract A fine geometry solar cell having a top surface contact comprising substantially more and finer metallic fingers spaced close together for collecting photocurrent. Junction depth and/or impurity concentration may be reduced significantly. The method for making the fine geometry solar cell, comprises in ordered steps, the processes of diffusion, oxidation, photolithography, metallization and plating.
Inventors
No inventors recorded.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 09:38
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F77/00; H10F77/20; H10F77/206; H10F77/211; H10F77/215; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/50; Y10; Y10S; Y10S148/00; Y10S148/033
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
103 words
A solar cell comprising a semiconductor material having top and bottom surfaces and having a p-n junction at a distance of between 500 A and 2,000 A from the top semiconductor surface thereof, said top surface being adapted to receive incident light radiation, an electrode on said bottom semiconductor surface, and a patterned electrode on said top semiconductor surface, said patterned surface comprising a plurality of thin metallic fingers electrically connected together, said thin metallic fingers being separated by a (distances) distance (on the order) of n X 10 2 centimeters where n is (a non-zero integer) any number from one to nine.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
103 words
A solar cell comprising a semiconductor material having top and bottom surfaces and having a p-n junction at a distance of between 500 A and 2,000 A from the top semiconductor surface thereof, said top surface being adapted to receive incident light radiation, an electrode on said bottom semiconductor surface, and a patterned electrode on said top semiconductor surface, said patterned surface comprising a plurality of thin metallic fingers electrically connected together, said thin metallic fingers being separated by a (distances) distance (on the order) of n X 10 2 centimeters where n is (a non-zero integer) any number from one to nine.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
A solar cell as claimed in claim 1 wherein said semiconductor material is silicon.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
A solar cell as claimed in claim 2 wherein said p-n junction is at a depth of approximately 1,500 A and divides said semiconductor material into a top surface layer and a bottom layer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
A solar cell as claimed in claim 2 wherein said thin metallic fingers are separated by distances of approximately 0.03 centimeters.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
A solar cell as claimed in claim 2 wherein said p-n junction divides said semiconductor material into a top n-type layer and a bottom p-type layer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
A solar cell as claimed in claim 2 wherein said material between said top surface and said p-n junction has an impurity concentration of about 1019 - 1020 impurity atoms/cm3.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
A solar cell as claimed in claim 2 wherein said thin metallic fingers are spread substantially evenly over the surface of said solar cell at a density in one dimension of approximately 30 metallic fingers per centimeter.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
A solar cell as claimed in claim 2 wherein the width of said fingers is between about 1-20 microns.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
48 words
A solar cell as claimed in claim 3 wherein said thin metallic fingers are separated by distances of approximately 0.03 centimeters. 10. A solar cell as claimed in claim 3 wherein said p-n junction divides said semiconductor material into a top n-type layer and a bottom p-type layer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
A solar cell as claimed in claim 3 wherein said material between said top surface and said p-n junction has an impurity concentration of about 1019 - 1020 impurity atoms/cm3.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
A solar cell as claimed in claim 3 wherein said thin metallic fingers are spread substantially evenly over the surface of said solar cell at a density in the dimension of approximately 30 metallic fingers per centimeter.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
A solar cell as claimed in claim 3 wherein the width of said fingers is between about 1-20 microns.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
A solar cell as claimed in claim 9 wherein said p-n junction divides said semiconductor material into a top n-type layer and a bottom p-type layer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
A solar cell as claimed in claim 14 wherein said material between said top surface and said p-n junction has an impurity concentration of about 1019 - 1020 impurity atoms/cm3.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
A solar cell as claimed in claim 15 wherein said impurity atoms are atoms selected from a group consisting of phosphorous, arsenic and antimony.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
37 words
A solar cell as claimed in claim 16 wherein said thin metallic fingers are spread substantially evenly over the surface of said solar cell at a density in one dimension of approximately 30 metallic fingers per centimeter.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
A solar cell as claimed in claim 17 wherein the width of said fingers is between about 1-20 microns.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-11-10 | 1979-05-12 | 1979-11-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-11-10 | 1983-05-12 | 1983-11-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-11-10 | 1987-05-12 | 1987-11-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |