Thin film photovoltaic device

Patent · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1982

OSTI ID:864283

Catalano, Anthony W ^[1]; Bhushan, Manjul ^[1]

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1. Wilmington, DE

A thin film photovoltaic solar cell which utilizes a zinc phosphide semiconductor is of the homojunction type comprising an n-type conductivity region forming an electrical junction with a p-type region, both regions consisting essentially of the same semiconductor material. The n-type region is formed by treating zinc phosphide with an extrinsic dopant such as magnesium. The semiconductor is formed on a multilayer substrate which acts as an opaque contact. Various transparent contacts may be used, including a thin metal film of the same chemical composition as the n-type dopant or conductive oxides or metal grids.

• Research Organization: Solar Energy Research Institute
• DOE Contract Number: EG-77-C-01-4042
• Assignee: University of Delaware (Newark, DE)
• Patent Number(s): US 4342879
• OSTI ID: 864283
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/136/257/420/438/
cell
chemical
chemical composition
composition
comprising
conductive
conductive oxide
conductivity
consisting
consisting essentially
contact
contacts
device
dopant
electrical
electrical junction
essentially
extrinsic
film
film photovoltaic
formed
forming
grids
homojunction
including
junction
magnesium
material
metal
metal film
metal grid
metal grids
multilayer
multilayer substrate
n-type
n-type dopant
n-type region
opaque
oxides
p-type
p-type region
phosphide
photovoltaic
photovoltaic device
photovoltaic solar
region
region forming
regions
semiconductor
semiconductor material
solar
solar cell
substrate
transparent
treating
type
type comprising
type dopant
utilizes
various
zinc
zinc phosphide