Method and apparatus for increasing the durability and yield of thin film photovoltaic devices

Phillips, James E; Lasswell, Patrick G

Title: Method and apparatus for increasing the durability and yield of thin film photovoltaic devices

Full Record
Other Related Research

Abstract

Thin film photovoltaic cells having a pair of semiconductor layers between an opaque and a transparent electrical contact are manufactured in a method which includes the step of scanning one of the semiconductor layers to determine the location of any possible shorting defect. Upon the detection of such defect, the defect is eliminated to increase the durability and yield of the photovoltaic device.

Inventors:

Phillips, James E ^[1]; Lasswell, Patrick G ^[1]

Newark, DE

Issue Date:: 1987-01-01

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

OSTI Identifier:: 866122

Patent Number(s):: 4640002

Assignee:: University of Delaware (Newark, DE)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):: 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

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y10 - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC Y10S - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

Show more

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
Y02E10/50 - Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y10 - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC Y10S - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
Y10S438/94 - Laser ablative material removal

H - ELECTRICITY H02 - GENERATION H02S - GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRA-RED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES
H02S50/10 - Testing of PV devices, e.g. of PV modules or single PV cells

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y10 - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC Y10S - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
Y10S136/29 - Testing, calibrating, treating, e.g. aging

H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01L - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
H01L31/18 - Processes or apparatus peculiar to the manufacture or treatment of these devices or of parts thereof

Show less

DOE Contract Number:: EG-77-C-01-4042

Resource Type:: Patent

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: method; apparatus; increasing; durability; yield; film; photovoltaic; devices; cells; pair; semiconductor; layers; opaque; transparent; electrical; contact; manufactured; step; scanning; determine; location; shorting; defect; detection; eliminated; increase; device; transparent electrical; photovoltaic devices; photovoltaic cells; electrical contact; photovoltaic device; semiconductor layer; film photovoltaic; photovoltaic cell; semiconductor layers; /438/136/219/324/356/

Citation Formats


                    Phillips, James E, and Lasswell, Patrick G. Method and apparatus for increasing the durability and yield of thin film photovoltaic devices.  United States: N. p., 1987. 
        Web.

Copy to clipboard


                    Phillips, James E, & Lasswell, Patrick G. Method and apparatus for increasing the durability and yield of thin film photovoltaic devices.  United States.

Copy to clipboard


                    Phillips, James E, and Lasswell, Patrick G. Thu .  
        "Method and apparatus for increasing the durability and yield of thin film photovoltaic devices".  United States.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/866122.

Copy to clipboard


                    
@article{osti_866122,

  title        = {Method and apparatus for increasing the durability and yield of thin film photovoltaic devices},

  author       = {Phillips, James E and Lasswell, Patrick G},

  abstractNote = {Thin film photovoltaic cells having a pair of semiconductor layers between an opaque and a transparent electrical contact are manufactured in a method which includes the step of scanning one of the semiconductor layers to determine the location of any possible shorting defect. Upon the detection of such defect, the defect is eliminated to increase the durability and yield of the photovoltaic device.},

  doi          = {},

  journal      = {},
number       = ,

  volume       = ,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {1987},

  month        = {1}

}

Copy to clipboard

Patent:

View Patent

Save / Share:

Export Metadata

Save to My Library

Similar Records in DOE Patents and OSTI.GOV collections:

Method and apparatus for increasing the durability and yield of thin film photovoltaic devices

Patent Phillips, J E; Lasswell, P G

Thin film photovoltaic cells having a pair of semiconductor layers between an opaque and a transparent electrical contact are manufactured in a method which includes the step of scanning one of the semiconductor layers to determine the location of any possible shorting defect. Upon the detection of such defect, the defect is eliminated to increase the durability and yield of the photovoltaic device. 10 figs.
Thin film photovoltaic cells having increased durability and operating life and method for making same

Patent Barnett, Allen M [Newark, DE]; Masi, James V [Wilmington, DE]; Hall, Robert B [Newark, DE]

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.
Full Text Available
Method for making photovoltaic devices using oxygenated semiconductor thin film layers

Patent Johnson, James Neil; Albin, David Scott; Feldman-Peabody, Scott; ...

A method for making a photovoltaic device is presented. The method includes steps of disposing a window layer on a substrate and disposing an absorber layer on the window layer. Disposing the window layer, the absorber layer, or both layers includes introducing a source material into a deposition zone, wherein the source material comprises oxygen and a constituent of the window layer, of the absorber layer or of both layers. The method further includes step of depositing a film that comprises the constituent and oxygen.
Full Text Available
Photovoltaic device with increased light absorption and method for its manufacture

Patent Glatfelter, Troy [Royal Oak, MI]; Vogeli, Craig [New Baltimore, MI]; Call, Jon [Royal Oak, MI]; ...

A photovoltaic cell having a light-directing optical element integrally formed in an encapsulant layer thereof. The optical element redirects light to increase the internal absorption of light incident on the photovoltaic device.
Full Text Available
Photoluminescence-based quality control for thin film absorber layers of photovoltaic devices

Patent Repins, Ingrid L.; Kuciauskas, Darius

A time-resolved photoluminescence-based system providing quality control during manufacture of thin film absorber layers for photovoltaic devices. The system includes a laser generating excitation beams and an optical fiber with an end used both for directing each excitation beam onto a thin film absorber layer and for collecting photoluminescence from the absorber layer. The system includes a processor determining a quality control parameter such as minority carrier lifetime of the thin film absorber layer based on the collected photoluminescence. In some implementations, the laser is a low power, pulsed diode laser having photon energy at least great enough to excitemore » « less
Full Text Available

Similar Records