PHOTOVOLTAIC CELL WITH SHALLOW EMITTER

A photovoltaic semiconductor apparatus for use in forming a solar cell with shallow emitter is disclosed. The apparatus includes first and second adjacent oppositely doped volumes of semiconductor material forming a semiconductor heterojunction. The apparatus also includes a first passivation layer of material on the front side, the first passivation layer having a first outer surface and a plurality of openings therethrough defining corresponding unpassivated areas of the front side that are unpassivated by the first passivation layer. The apparatus further includes a first conductive anti-reflective coating on the first outer surface of the passivation layer and on the corresponding unpassivated areas of the front side. A back side surface of the apparatus may be finished in various ways including forming a passivation layer with openings as on the front side, forming a third doped volume adjacent the second doped volume, or forming a layer of aluminum with laser-fired contacts on a passivation layer on the back side surface. The apparatus may further includes second conductive coating on the back side surface. The apparatus further includes first and second electrodes for collecting electric current correspondingly from front and back sides of photovoltaic apparatus.