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Title: Solar cells with low cost substrates and process of making same

Abstract

A solar cell having a substrate and an intermediate recrystallized film and a semiconductor material capable of absorbing light with the substrate being selected from one of a synthetic organic resin, graphite, glass and a crystalline material having a grain size less than about 1 micron.sup.2. The intermediate recrystallized film has a grain size in the range of from about 10 microns.sup.2 to about 10,000 microns.sup.2 and a lattice mismatch with the semiconductor material not greater than about 4%. The semiconductor material has a grain size not less than about 10 microns.sup.2. An anti-reflective layer and electrical contact means are provided. Also disclosed is a subcombination of substrate, intermediate recrystallized film and semiconductor material. Also, methods of formulating the solar cell and subcombination are disclosed.

Inventors:
 [1]
  1. Indian Hills, CO
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
865254
Patent Number(s):
4482780
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
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:  
EG-77-C-01-4042
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
solar; cells; cost; substrates; process; cell; substrate; intermediate; recrystallized; film; semiconductor; material; capable; absorbing; light; selected; synthetic; organic; resin; graphite; glass; crystalline; grain; size; micron; range; 10; microns; 000; lattice; mismatch; anti-reflective; layer; electrical; contact; means; provided; disclosed; subcombination; methods; formulating; contact means; crystalline material; electrical contact; solar cell; semiconductor material; solar cells; grain size; reflective layer; material capable; absorbing light; organic resin; lattice mismatch; /136/257/427/438/

Citation Formats

Mitchell, Kim W. Solar cells with low cost substrates and process of making same. United States: N. p., 1984. Web.
Mitchell, Kim W. Solar cells with low cost substrates and process of making same. United States.
Mitchell, Kim W. Sun . "Solar cells with low cost substrates and process of making same". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/865254.
@article{osti_865254,
title = {Solar cells with low cost substrates and process of making same},
author = {Mitchell, Kim W},
abstractNote = {A solar cell having a substrate and an intermediate recrystallized film and a semiconductor material capable of absorbing light with the substrate being selected from one of a synthetic organic resin, graphite, glass and a crystalline material having a grain size less than about 1 micron.sup.2. The intermediate recrystallized film has a grain size in the range of from about 10 microns.sup.2 to about 10,000 microns.sup.2 and a lattice mismatch with the semiconductor material not greater than about 4%. The semiconductor material has a grain size not less than about 10 microns.sup.2. An anti-reflective layer and electrical contact means are provided. Also disclosed is a subcombination of substrate, intermediate recrystallized film and semiconductor material. Also, methods of formulating the solar cell and subcombination are disclosed.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1984},
month = {Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1984}
}