Solar cells utilizing pulsed-energy crystallized microcrystalline/polycrystalline silicon
Abstract
A process for producing multi-terminal devices such as solar cells wherein a pulsed high energy source is used to melt and crystallize amorphous silicon deposited on a substrate which is intolerant to high processing temperatures, whereby the amorphous silicon is converted into a microcrystalline/polycrystalline phase. Dopant and hydrogenation can be added during the fabrication process which provides for fabrication of extremely planar, ultra shallow contacts which results in reduction of non-current collecting contact volume. The use of the pulsed energy beams results in the ability to fabricate high efficiency microcrystalline/polycrystalline solar cells on the so-called low-temperature, inexpensive plastic substrates which are intolerant to high processing temperatures.
- Inventors:
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- University of California
- OSTI Identifier:
- 119047
- Patent Number(s):
- 5,456,763
- Application Number:
- PAN: 8-219,487
- Assignee:
- Univ. of California, Oakland, CA (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: 10 Oct 1995
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 14 SOLAR ENERGY; 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; SILICON SOLAR CELLS; FABRICATION; SILICON; MELTING; CRYSTALLIZATION; TEMPERATURE CONTROL
Citation Formats
Kaschmitter, J L, and Sigmon, T W. Solar cells utilizing pulsed-energy crystallized microcrystalline/polycrystalline silicon. United States: N. p., 1995.
Web.
Kaschmitter, J L, & Sigmon, T W. Solar cells utilizing pulsed-energy crystallized microcrystalline/polycrystalline silicon. United States.
Kaschmitter, J L, and Sigmon, T W. Tue .
"Solar cells utilizing pulsed-energy crystallized microcrystalline/polycrystalline silicon". United States.
@article{osti_119047,
title = {Solar cells utilizing pulsed-energy crystallized microcrystalline/polycrystalline silicon},
author = {Kaschmitter, J L and Sigmon, T W},
abstractNote = {A process for producing multi-terminal devices such as solar cells wherein a pulsed high energy source is used to melt and crystallize amorphous silicon deposited on a substrate which is intolerant to high processing temperatures, whereby the amorphous silicon is converted into a microcrystalline/polycrystalline phase. Dopant and hydrogenation can be added during the fabrication process which provides for fabrication of extremely planar, ultra shallow contacts which results in reduction of non-current collecting contact volume. The use of the pulsed energy beams results in the ability to fabricate high efficiency microcrystalline/polycrystalline solar cells on the so-called low-temperature, inexpensive plastic substrates which are intolerant to high processing temperatures.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1995},
month = {10}
}