Methods for forming thin-film heterojunction solar cells from I-III-VI.sub. 2
- Bellevue, WA
- Seattle, WA
An improved thin-film, large area solar cell, and methods for forming the same, having a relatively high light-to-electrical energy conversion efficiency and characterized in that the cell comprises a p-n type heterojunction formed of: (i) a first semiconductor layer comprising a photovoltaic active material selected from the class of I-III-VI.sub.2 chalcopyrite ternary materials which is vacuum deposited in a thin "composition-graded" layer ranging from on the order ot about 2.5 microns to about 5.0 microns (.congruent.2.5 .mu.m to .congruent.5.0 .mu.m) and wherein the lower region of the photovoltaic active material preferably comprises a low resistivity region of p-type semiconductor material having a superimposed region of relatively high resistivity, transient n-type semiconductor material defining a transient p-n homojunction; and (ii), a second semiconductor layer comprising a low resistivity n-type semiconductor material; wherein interdiffusion (a) between the elemental constituents of the two discrete juxtaposed regions of the first semiconductor layer defining a transient p-n homojunction layer, and (b) between the transient n-type material in the first semiconductor layer and the second n-type semiconductor layer, causes the The Government has rights in this invention pursuant to Contract No. EG-77-C-01-4042, Subcontract No. XJ-9-8021-1 awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy.
- Research Organization:
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- EG-77-C-01-4042
- Assignee:
- Boeing Company (Seattle, WA)
- Patent Number(s):
- US RE31,968
- OSTI ID:
- 875289
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Apparatus for forming thin-film heterojunction solar cells employing materials selected from the class of I-III-VI.sub.2 chalcopyrite compounds
Methods for forming thin-film heterojunction solar cells from I-III-VI2
Related Subjects
14 SOLAR ENERGY
DESIGN
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
FABRICATION
N-TYPE CONDUCTORS
P-N JUNCTIONS
SOLAR CELLS
VACUUM COATING
active
active material
awarded
causes
cell
cell comprises
cells
chalcopyrite
chalcopyrite ternary
characterized
composition-graded
comprises
comprising
congruent
constituents
contract
conversion
conversion efficiency
defining
department
deposited
discrete
discrete juxtaposed
efficiency
eg-77-c-01-4042
electrical energy
elemental
elemental constituents
energy
energy conversion
film heterojunction
formed
forming
forming thin-film
government
heterojunction
heterojunction formed
heterojunction solar
homojunction
homojunction layer
i-iii-vi
ii
improved
improved thin-film
interdiffusion
junction solar
juxtaposed
juxtaposed regions
layer
layer comprising
layer defining
layer ranging
light-to-electrical
light-to-electrical energy
material
material defining
material preferably
material selected
materials
methods
microns
n-type
n-type material
n-type semiconductor
p-n
p-n homojunction
p-type
p-type semiconductor
photovoltaic
photovoltaic active
preferably
preferably comprise
preferably comprises
pursuant
ranging
region
regions
relatively
resistivity
resistivity n-type
resistivity region
rights
selected
semiconductor
semiconductor layer
semiconductor material
solar
solar cell
solar cells
subcontract
superimposed
superimposed region
ternary
ternary materials
thin-film
thin-film heterojunction
transient
transient n-type
transient p-n
type
type heterojunction
type material
type semiconductor
vacuum
vacuum deposited
xj-9-8021-1