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Title: Back contact layer for photovoltaic cells

Patent ·
OSTI ID:1469122
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A photovoltaic cell structure is disclosed that includes a back contact layer that includes single wall carbon nanotube elements. The single wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) back contact is in electrical communication with an adjacent semiconductor layer and provides a buffer characteristic that impedes elemental metal migration from the back contact into the semiconductor active layers. In one embodiment, the SWNT back contact includes a semiconductor characteristic and a buffer characteristic. In another embodiment, the SWNT back contact further includes a metallic characteristic.

Research Organization:
The University Of Toledo, Toledo, OH (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
SC0006349
Assignee:
The University Of Toledo (Toledo, OH)
Patent Number(s):
10,043,922
Application Number:
14/421,718
OSTI ID:
1469122
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 2013 Aug 13
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (10)

Solar cell containing low melting point glass layer patent March 1996
Method of manufacturing a light emitting, photovoltaic or other electronic apparatus and system patent March 2012
Solar cells and photodetectors with semiconducting nanostructures patent April 2013
Photovoltaic structure with a conductive nanowire array electrode patent-application May 2007
Nanostructured Solar Cells patent-application November 2008
Carbon Nanotube-Based Solar Cells patent-application December 2010
Electronic devices including transparent conductive coatings including carbon nanotubes and nanowire composites, and methods of making the same patent-application September 2011
Nanostructured Solar Cells patent-application January 2012
Solar Cell System Manufacturing Method patent-application June 2013
Applications of carbon materials in photovoltaic solar cells journal September 2009

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