Title: Thin film photovoltaic devices with a minimally conductive buffer layer

Abstract

A thin film photovoltaic device (100) with a tunable, minimally conductive buffer (128) layer is provided. The photovoltaic device (100) may include a back contact (150), a transparent front contact stack (120), and an absorber (140) positioned between the front contact stack (120) and the back contact (150). The front contact stack (120) may include a low resistivity transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer (124) and a buffer layer (128) that is proximate to the absorber layer (140). The photovoltaic device (100) may also include a window layer (130) between the buffer layer (128) and the absorber (140). In some cases, the buffer layer (128) is minimally conductive, with its resistivity being tunable, and the buffer layer (128) may be formed as an alloy from a host oxide and a high-permittivity oxide. The high-permittivity oxide may further be chosen to have a bandgap greater than the host oxide.

Inventors:

Barnes, Teresa M.; Burst, James

Issue Date:

Tue Nov 15 00:00:00 EST 2016

Research Org.:

National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE

OSTI Identifier:

1332109

Patent Number(s):

9496426

Application Number:

14/377,763

Assignee:

Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC (Golden, CO)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):

H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01L - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

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H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01L - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

H01L31/02167 - {for solar cells}
H01L31/022466 - {made of transparent conductive layers, e.g. TCO, ITO layers}
H01L31/073 - comprising only AIIBVI compound semiconductors, e.g. CdS/CdTe solar cells
H01L31/0749 - including a AIBIIICVI compound, e.g. CdS/CulnSe2 [CIS] heterojunction solar cells
H01L31/1828 - {the active layers comprising only AIIBVI compounds, e.g. CdS, ZnS, CdTe}
H01L31/1836 - {comprising a growth substrate not being an AIIBVI compound}
H01L31/1884 - {Manufacture of transparent electrodes, e.g. TCO, ITO}

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

Y02E10/541 - CuInSe2 material PV cells
Y02E10/543 - Solar cells from Group II-VI materials

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02P - CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

Y02P70/50 - Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

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DOE Contract Number:  

AC36-08GO28308

Resource Type:

Patent

Resource Relation:

Patent File Date: 2013 Feb 05

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; 14 SOLAR ENERGY