Thin film photovoltaic cells having increased durability and operating life and method for making same
Abstract
A solar cell having a copper-bearing absorber is provided with a composite transparent encapsulating layer specifically designed to prevent oxidation of the copper sulfide. In a preferred embodiment, the absorber is a layer of copper sulfide and the composite layer comprises a thin layer of copper oxide formed on the copper sulfide and a layer of encapsulating glass formed on the oxide. It is anticipated that such devices, when exposed to normal operating conditions of various terrestrial applications, can be maintained at energy conversion efficiencies greater than one-half the original conversion efficiency for periods as long as thirty years.
- Inventors:
-
- Newark, DE
- Wilmington, DE
- Issue Date:
- OSTI Identifier:
- 863746
- Patent Number(s):
- 4239553
- Application Number:
- 06/043,316
- Assignee:
- University of Delaware (Newark, DE)
- 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
- DOE Contract Number:
- EC-77-C-01-4042; XR-9-8063-1
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- film; photovoltaic; cells; increased; durability; operating; life; method; solar; cell; copper-bearing; absorber; provided; composite; transparent; encapsulating; layer; specifically; designed; prevent; oxidation; copper; sulfide; preferred; embodiment; comprises; oxide; formed; glass; anticipated; devices; exposed; normal; conditions; various; terrestrial; applications; maintained; energy; conversion; efficiencies; one-half; original; efficiency; periods; thirty; operating life; composite layer; conversion efficiencies; layer comprises; photovoltaic cells; operating conditions; copper oxide; conversion efficiency; solar cell; preferred embodiment; energy conversion; film photovoltaic; photovoltaic cell; operating condition; specifically designed; normal operating; oxide formed; copper sulfide; prevent oxidation; glass formed; oxide form; /136/204/257/427/438/
Citation Formats
Barnett, Allen M, Masi, James V, and Hall, Robert B. Thin film photovoltaic cells having increased durability and operating life and method for making same. United States: N. p., 1980.
Web.
Barnett, Allen M, Masi, James V, & Hall, Robert B. Thin film photovoltaic cells having increased durability and operating life and method for making same. United States.
Barnett, Allen M, Masi, James V, and Hall, Robert B. Tue .
"Thin film photovoltaic cells having increased durability and operating life and method for making same". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/863746.
@article{osti_863746,
title = {Thin film photovoltaic cells having increased durability and operating life and method for making same},
author = {Barnett, Allen M and Masi, James V and Hall, Robert B},
abstractNote = {A solar cell having a copper-bearing absorber is provided with a composite transparent encapsulating layer specifically designed to prevent oxidation of the copper sulfide. In a preferred embodiment, the absorber is a layer of copper sulfide and the composite layer comprises a thin layer of copper oxide formed on the copper sulfide and a layer of encapsulating glass formed on the oxide. It is anticipated that such devices, when exposed to normal operating conditions of various terrestrial applications, can be maintained at energy conversion efficiencies greater than one-half the original conversion efficiency for periods as long as thirty years.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Dec 16 00:00:00 EST 1980},
month = {Tue Dec 16 00:00:00 EST 1980}
}
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