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Title: Thin film heterojunction photovoltaic cells and methods of making the same

Abstract

A method of fabricating a thin film heterojunction photovoltaic cell which comprises depositing a film of a near intrinsic or n-type semiconductor compound formed of at least one of the metal elements of Class II B of the Periodic Table of Elements and at least tellurium and then heating said film at a temperature between about 250.degree. C. and 500.degree. C. for a time sufficient to convert said film to a suitably low resistivity p-type semiconductor compound. Such film may be deposited initially on the surface of an n-type semiconductor substrate. Alternatively, there may be deposited on the converted film a layer of n-type semiconductor compound different from the film semiconductor compound. The resulting photovoltaic cell exhibits a substantially increased power output over similar cells not subjected to the method of the present invention.

Inventors:
 [1];  [1];  [1]
  1. Los Angeles, CA
Issue Date:
OSTI Identifier:
864581
Patent Number(s):
4388483
Application Number:
06/300,116
Assignee:
Monosolar, Inc. (Santa Monica, CA)
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:  
XS091521
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
film; heterojunction; photovoltaic; cells; methods; method; fabricating; cell; comprises; depositing; near; intrinsic; n-type; semiconductor; compound; formed; metal; elements; ii; periodic; table; tellurium; heating; temperature; 250; degree; 500; time; sufficient; convert; suitably; resistivity; p-type; deposited; initially; surface; substrate; alternatively; converted; layer; resulting; exhibits; substantially; increased; power; output; similar; subjected; metal elements; substantially increased; n-type semiconductor; semiconductor compound; metal element; photovoltaic cells; power output; semiconductor substrate; time sufficient; photovoltaic cell; periodic table; p-type semiconductor; comprises depositing; substantially increase; compound formed; film semiconductor; film heterojunction; increased power; heterojunction photovoltaic; cell exhibits; compound form; resulting ph; type semiconductor; similar cell; /136/205/257/438/

Citation Formats

Basol, Bulent M, Tseng, Eric S, and Rod, Robert L. Thin film heterojunction photovoltaic cells and methods of making the same. United States: N. p., 1983. Web.
Basol, Bulent M, Tseng, Eric S, & Rod, Robert L. Thin film heterojunction photovoltaic cells and methods of making the same. United States.
Basol, Bulent M, Tseng, Eric S, and Rod, Robert L. Tue . "Thin film heterojunction photovoltaic cells and methods of making the same". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/864581.
@article{osti_864581,
title = {Thin film heterojunction photovoltaic cells and methods of making the same},
author = {Basol, Bulent M and Tseng, Eric S and Rod, Robert L},
abstractNote = {A method of fabricating a thin film heterojunction photovoltaic cell which comprises depositing a film of a near intrinsic or n-type semiconductor compound formed of at least one of the metal elements of Class II B of the Periodic Table of Elements and at least tellurium and then heating said film at a temperature between about 250.degree. C. and 500.degree. C. for a time sufficient to convert said film to a suitably low resistivity p-type semiconductor compound. Such film may be deposited initially on the surface of an n-type semiconductor substrate. Alternatively, there may be deposited on the converted film a layer of n-type semiconductor compound different from the film semiconductor compound. The resulting photovoltaic cell exhibits a substantially increased power output over similar cells not subjected to the method of the present invention.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1983},
month = {6}
}