Photovoltaic semiconductor materials based on alloys of tin sulfide, and methods of production

Title: Photovoltaic semiconductor materials based on alloys of tin sulfide, and methods of production

Photovoltaic thin-film materials comprising crystalline tin sulfide alloys of the general formula Sn.sub.1-x(R).sub.xS, where R is selected from magnesium, calcium and strontium, as well as methods of producing the same, are disclosed.

Inventors:: Lany, Stephan

Issue Date:: 2016-06-07

OSTI Identifier:: 1255953

Assignee:: Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC (Golden, CO) NREL

Patent Number(s):: 9,362,429

Application Number:: 14/266,213

Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

Resource Relation:: Patent File Date: 2014 Apr 30

Research Org:: National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Org:: USDOE

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; 14 SOLAR ENERGY

Full Text
View Full Text

Other works cited in this record:

Photovoltaic properties of SnS based solar cells
journal, November 2006

Ramakrishna Reddy, K. T.; Koteswara Reddy, N.; Miles, R. W.
Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Vol. 90, Issue 18-19, p. 3041-3046
DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2006.06.012

SnS thin-films by RF sputtering at room temperature
journal, August 2011

Hartman, Katy; Johnson, J. L.; Bertoni, Mariana I.
Thin Solid Films, Vol. 519, Issue 21, p. 7421-7424
DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2010.12.186

Assessment of correction methods for the band-gap problem and for finite-size effects in supercell defect calculations: Case studies for ZnO and GaAs
journal, December 2008

Lany, Stephan; Zunger, Alex
Physical Review B, Vol. 78, Issue 23, Article No. 235104
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.78.235104

Thermally evaporated thin films of SnS for application in solar cell devices
journal, July 2009

Miles, Robert W.; Ogah, Ogah E.; Zoppi, Guillaume
Thin Solid Films, Vol. 517, Issue 17, p. 4702-4705
DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2009.03.003

Characterization of vacuum-evaporated tin sulfide film for solar cell materials
journal, September 1994

Noguchi, Hidenori; Setiyadi, Agus; Tanamura, Hiromasa
Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Vol. 35, p. 325-331
DOI: 10.1016/0927-0248(94)90158-9

Photovoltaic properties of SnS based solar cells
journal, November 2006

Ramakrishna Reddy, K. T.; Koteswara Reddy, N.; Miles, R. W.
Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Vol. 90, Issue 18-19, p. 3041-3046
DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2006.06.012

Atomic Layer Deposition of Tin Monosulfide Thin Films
journal, September 2011

Sinsermsuksakul, Prasert; Heo, Jaeyeong; Noh, Wontae
Advanced Energy Materials, Vol. 1, Issue 6, p. 1116-1125
DOI: 10.1002/aenm.201100330

Electrical and optical stimulation of luminescence in Ca_1−xCd_xS
journal, April 1994

Viney, I. V. F.; Arterton, B. W.; Ray, B.
Journal of Crystal Growth, Vol. 138, Issue 1-4, p. 1055-1060
DOI: 10.1016/0022-0248(94)90955-5

Special quasirandom structures
journal, July 1990

Zunger, Alex; Wei, S.-H.; Ferreira, L. G.
Physical Review Letters, Vol. 65, Issue 3, p. 353-356
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.65.353

Similar records in DOepatents and OSTI.GOV collections:

Iron-based amorphous alloys and methods of synthesizing iron-based amorphous alloys

Patent Saw, Cheng Kiong ; Bauer, William A. ; Choi, Jor-Shan ; Day, Dan ; Farmer, Joseph C.

A method according to one embodiment includes combining an amorphous iron-based alloy and at least one metal selected from a group consisting of molybdenum, chromium, tungsten, boron, gadolinium, nickel phosphorous, yttrium, and alloys thereof to form a mixture, wherein the at least one metal is present in the mixture from about 5 atomic percent (at %) to about 55 at %; and ball milling the mixture at least until an amorphous alloy of the iron-based alloy and the at least one metal is formed. Several amorphous iron-based metal alloys are also presented, including corrosion-resistant amorphous iron-based metal alloys and radiation-shieldingmore » amorphous iron-based metal alloys.« less
Full Text Available May 2016
System for characterizing semiconductor materials and photovoltaic device

Patent Sopori, Bhushan L.

Apparatus for detecting and mapping defects in the surfaces of polycrystalline material in a manner that distinguishes dislocation pits from grain boundaries includes a first laser of a first wavelength for illuminating a wide spot on the surface of the material, a second laser of a second relatively shorter wavelength for illuminating a relatively narrower spot on the surface of the material, a light integrating sphere with apertures for capturing light scattered by etched dislocation pits in an intermediate range away from specular reflection while allowing light scattered by etched grain boundaries in a near range from specular reflection tomore »« less
Full Text Available January 1996
System for characterizing semiconductor materials and photovoltaic devices through calibration

Patent Sopori, Bhushan L. ; Allen, Larry C. ; Marshall, Craig ; Murphy, Robert C. ; Marshall, Todd

A method and apparatus for measuring characteristics of a piece of material, typically semiconductor materials including photovoltaic devices. The characteristics may include dislocation defect density, grain boundaries, reflectance, external LBIC, internal LBIC, and minority carrier diffusion length. The apparatus includes a light source, an integrating sphere, and a detector communicating with a computer. The measurement or calculation of the characteristics is calibrated to provide accurate, absolute values. The calibration is performed by substituting a standard sample for the piece of material, the sample having a known quantity of one or more of the relevant characteristics. The quantity measured by themore »« less
Full Text Available January 1998
Zirconium-based alloys, nuclear fuel rods and nuclear reactors including such alloys, and related methods

Patent Mariani, Robert Dominick

Zirconium-based metal alloy compositions comprise zirconium, a first additive in which the permeability of hydrogen decreases with increasing temperatures at least over a temperature range extending from 350.degree. C. to 750.degree. C., and a second additive having a solubility in zirconium over the temperature range extending from 350.degree. C. to 750.degree. C. At least one of a solubility of the first additive in the second additive over the temperature range extending from 350.degree. C. to 750.degree. C. and a solubility of the second additive in the first additive over the temperature range extending from 350.degree. C. to 750.degree. C. ismore »« less
Full Text Available September 2014
Laser-based irradiation apparatus and methods for monitoring the dose-rate response of semiconductor devices

Patent Horn, Kevin M

A scanned, pulsed, focused laser irradiation apparatus can measure and image the photocurrent collection resulting from a dose-rate equivalent exposure to infrared laser light across an entire silicon die. Comparisons of dose-rate response images or time-delay images from before, during, and after accelerated aging of a device, or from periodic sampling of devices from fielded operational systems allows precise identification of those specific age-affected circuit structures within a device that merit further quantitative analysis with targeted materials or electrical testing techniques. Another embodiment of the invention comprises a broad-beam, dose rate-equivalent exposure apparatus. The broad-beam laser irradiation apparatus can determinemore »« less
Full Text Available March 2006