Fabrication of back contacts using laser writer and photolithography for inscribing textured solar cells

Ilango, Murugaiya Sridar and Monterio, Vijay and Ramasesha, Sheela K (2015) Fabrication of back contacts using laser writer and photolithography for inscribing textured solar cells. In: BULLETIN OF MATERIALS SCIENCE, 38 (1). pp. 191-196.

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Abstract

Semiconductor fabrication process begins with photolithography. Preparing a photo mask is the key process step in photolithography. The photo mask was fabricated by inscribing patterns directly onto a soda lime glass with the help of a laser beam, as it is easily controllable. Laser writer LW405-A was used for preparing the mask in this study. Exposure wavelength of 405 nm was used, with which 1.2 mu m feature size can be written in direct write-mode over the soda lime glass plate. The advantage of using the fabricated mask is that it can be used to design back contacts for thin film Photovoltaic (PV) solar cells. To investigate the process capability of LW405-A, same pattern with different line widths was written on soda lime glass samples at different writing speeds. The pattern was inscribed without proximity effect and stitching errors, which was characterized using optical microscope and field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM). It was proven that writing speed of a mask-writer is decided according to the intended feature size and line width. As the writing speed increases, the edges of the patterns become rougher due to uneven scattering of the laser beam. From the fabricated mask, the solar cell can be developed embedding both the contacts at the bottom layer, to increase the absorption of solar radiation on the top surface effectively by increasing light absorption area.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	BULLETIN OF MATERIALS SCIENCE
Publisher:	INDIAN ACAD SCIENCES
Additional Information:	Copy right for this article belongs to the INDIAN ACAD SCIENCES, C V RAMAN AVENUE, SADASHIVANAGAR, P B #8005, BANGALORE 560 080, INDIA
Keywords:	Solar cell; mask fabrication; laser writer; LW405-A; writing speed; back contact
Department/Centre:	Division of Mechanical Sciences > Divecha Centre for Climate Change Division of Interdisciplinary Sciences > Centre for Nano Science and Engineering
Date Deposited:	24 Apr 2015 06:00
Last Modified:	24 Apr 2015 06:00
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/51388

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