Configurable Solar Cells

Abstract

A photovoltaic cell may include a substrate configured as a single light absorption region. The cell may include at least one first semiconductor region and at least one second semiconductor region arranged on or in the substrate. The cell may include a plurality of first conductive contacts arranged on the substrate and physically separated from one another and a plurality of second conductive contacts arranged on the substrate and physically separated from one another. Each first conductive contact may be configured to facilitate electrical connection with the at least one first semiconductor region. Each second semiconductor conductive contact may be configured to facilitate electrical connection with the at least one second semiconductor region. Each of the first conductive contacts may form at least one separate cell partition with at least one of the second conductive contacts, thereby forming a plurality of cell partitions on or in the substrate.

1 . A photovoltaic cell comprising:
 a substrate configured as a single light absorption region;   at least one first semiconductor region arranged on or in the substrate and forming at least one collecting junction with the single light absorbing region;   a plurality of first conductive contacts arranged on the substrate and physically separated from one another, each first conductive contact being configured to facilitate electrical connection with the at least one first semiconductor region;   at least one second semiconductor region arranged on or in the substrate and physically separated from the at least one first semiconductor region, the at least one second semiconductor region forming at least one high-low junction with the single light absorbing region; and   a plurality of second conductive contacts arranged on the substrate and physically separated from one another, each second conductive contact being configured to facilitate electrical connection with the at least one second semiconductor region,   wherein each of the first conductive contacts forms at least one separate cell partition with at least one of the second conductive contacts, thereby forming a plurality of cell partitions on or in the substrate.   
     
     
         2 . The photovoltaic cell of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one interconnect electrically coupling at least two of the cell partitions to one another in parallel. 
     
     
         3 . The photovoltaic cell of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least one first semiconductor region and the at least one second semiconductor region is a doped region of the substrate. 
     
     
         4 . The photovoltaic cell of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least one first semiconductor region and the at least one second semiconductor region is an epitaxial layer on the substrate. 
     
     
         5 . The photovoltaic cell of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one first semiconductor region includes a plurality of regions that are physically separate from one another. 
     
     
         6 . The photovoltaic cell of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one second semiconductor region includes a plurality of regions that are physically separate from one another 
     
     
         7 . The photovoltaic cell of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the substrate comprises a p type material;   the at least one first semiconductor region comprises an n+ type material; and   the at least one second semiconductor region comprises a p+ type material.   
     
     
         8 . The photovoltaic cell of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one coating covering at least a portion of the at least one first semiconductor region. 
     
     
         9 . The photovoltaic cell of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one coating includes an anti-reflective coating. 
     
     
         10 . The photovoltaic cell of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one coating includes an insulator material. 
     
     
         11 . The photovoltaic cell of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one contact covering at least a portion of the at least one second semiconductor region. 
     
     
         12 . The photovoltaic cell of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one contact includes aluminum. 
     
     
         13 . The photovoltaic cell of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one contact is in electrical contact with the at least one second semiconductor region. 
     
     
         14 . The photovoltaic cell of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the substrate includes a front side and a back side;   the at least one first semiconductor region is arranged on or in the front side of the substrate; and   the at least one second semiconductor region is arranged on or in the back side of the substrate.   
     
     
         15 . The photovoltaic cell of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one partition resistance between at least two of the cell partitions. 
     
     
         16 . The photovoltaic cell of  claim 15 , wherein a value of the at least one partition resistance is based on at least one physical characteristic of the photovoltaic cell. 
     
     
         17 . The photovoltaic cell of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one physical characteristic includes a distance between at least two of the first conductive contacts, a doping concentration of the at least one first semiconductor region, a scribing made in the photovoltaic cell, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         18 . A system comprising a plurality of the photovoltaic cells of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , further comprising at least one interconnect electrically coupling at least one of the plurality of first conductive contacts of a first one of the plurality of the photovoltaic cells at least one of the plurality of second conductive contacts of a second one of the plurality of the photovoltaic cells. 
     
     
         20 . A method of manufacturing a photovoltaic cell comprising:
 constructing at least one first semiconductor region on or in a substrate configured as a single light absorption region, the at least one first semiconductor region forming at least one collecting junction with the single light absorbing region;   constructing a plurality of first conductive contacts on the substrate, the plurality of first conductive contacts being physically separated from one another and configured to facilitate electrical connection with the at least one first semiconductor region;   constructing at least one second semiconductor region that is physically separated from the at least one first semiconductor region on or in the substrate, the at least one semiconductor region forming at least one high-low junction with the single light absorbing region; and   constructing a plurality of second conductive contacts arranged on the substrate, the plurality of first second contacts being physically separated from one another and configured to facilitate electrical connection with the at least one second semiconductor region,   wherein each of the first conductive contacts forms at least one separate cell partition with at least one of the second conductive contacts, thereby forming a plurality of cell partitions on or in the substrate.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising electrically coupling at least two of the cell partitions to one another in parallel through at least one interconnect. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein constructing the at least one first semiconductor region comprises applying a first semiconductor material layer to the substrate. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the applying is performed by growth, diffusion, deposition, implantation, printing, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the applying is performed using at least one mask. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein constructing the at least one first semiconductor region comprises doping the substrate to form a first doped region. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein constructing the at least one second semiconductor region comprises applying a second semiconductor material layer to the substrate. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the applying is performed by growth, diffusion, deposition, implantation, printing, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the applying is performed using at least one mask. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein constructing the at least one second semiconductor region comprises doping the substrate to form a second doped region. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising applying at least one coating covering at least a portion of the at least one first semiconductor region. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the at least one coating includes an anti-reflective coating. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the at least one coating includes an insulator material. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising constructing at least one contact covering at least a portion of the at least one second semiconductor region. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the at least one contact includes aluminum. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the at least one contact is in electrical contact with the at least one second semiconductor region. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein:
 the substrate includes a front side and a back side;   the at least one first semiconductor region is arranged on or in the front side of the substrate; and   the at least one second semiconductor region is arranged on or in the back side of the substrate.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the at least one second semiconductor region includes a plurality of second semiconductor regions that are physically separated from one another. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein constructing the plurality of second semiconductor regions comprises removing a portion of a second doped region to physically separate the plurality of second semiconductor regions. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein constructing the plurality of second semiconductor regions comprises removing a portion of a second semiconductor material layer to physically separate the plurality of second semiconductor regions. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the at least one first semiconductor region includes a plurality of first semiconductor regions that are physically separated from one another. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein constructing the plurality of first semiconductor regions comprises removing a portion of a first doped region to physically separate the plurality of first semiconductor regions. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein constructing the plurality of first semiconductor regions comprises removing a portion of a first semiconductor material layer to physically separate the plurality of first semiconductor regions.