Selective Etching of Silicon Nitride Film on Single Crystalline Silicon Solar Cell Using Intensive Surface Discharge

Abstract

A new etching technique, which is useful for the formation of electrode grooves for finger and busber electrodes on solar cells, was examined using a surface discharge at atmospheric pressure. A silicon nitride film was etched along boundary lines between discharge electrodes covered with a dielectric layer and the film. It was found that intensive surface streamers play an essential role in the etching of the film and that a high etching rate more than 150 nm/min could be obtained.