Photovoltaic cell

Patent · Tue Dec 08 00:00:00 EST 1981

OSTI ID:5516150

Jordan, J F; Lampkin, C M

A photovoltaic cell has: an electrically conductive substrate, which may be glass having a film of conductive tin oxide; a first layer containing a suitable semiconductor, which layer has a first component film with an amorphous structure and a second component film with a polycrystalline structure; a second layer forming a heterojunction with the first layer; and suitable electrodes where the heterojunction is formed from a solution containing copper, the amorphous film component is superposed above an electrically conductive substrate to resist permeation of the copper-containing material to shorting electrical contact with the substrate. The penetration resistant amporphous layer permits a variety of processes to be used in forming the heterojunction with even very thin layers (1-6 mu thick) of underlying polycrystalline semi-conductor materials. In some embodiments, the amorphous-like structure may be formed by the addition of aluminum or zirconium compounds to a solution of cadmium salts sprayed over a heated substrate.

• Assignee: Photon Power Inc
• Patent Number(s): US 4304607
• OSTI ID: 5516150
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: Filed date 2 Apr 1979; Other Information: PAT-APPL-025840
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
DESIGN
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
AMORPHOUS STATE
CADMIUM SULFIDES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
GLASS
HETEROJUNCTIONS
OPACITY
POLYCRYSTALS
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SOLAR CELLS
SUBSTRATES
TIN OXIDES
ZIRCONIUM COMPOUNDS
CADMIUM COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
CRYSTALS
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
EQUIPMENT
INORGANIC PHOSPHORS
JUNCTIONS
MATERIALS
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOSPHORS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
SEMICONDUCTOR JUNCTIONS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
TIN COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
140501* - Solar Energy Conversion- Photovoltaic Conversion