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Title: Multijunction photovoltaic device and fabrication method

Abstract

A multijunction photovoltaic device includes first and second amorphous silicon PIN photovoltaic cells in a stacked arrangement. An interface layer, composed of a doped silicon compound, is disposed between the two cells and has a lower bandgap than the respective n- and p-type adjacent layers of the first and second cells. The interface layer forms an ohmic contact with the one or the adjacent cell layers of the same conductivity type, and a tunnel junction with the other of the adjacent cell layers. The disclosed device is fabricated by a glow discharge process.

Inventors:
 [1];  [2]
  1. Jamison, PA
  2. Furlong, PA
Issue Date:
OSTI Identifier:
868930
Patent Number(s):
5246506
Application Number:
07/730,177
Assignee:
Solarex Corporation (Rockville, MD)
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:  
ZM-1-19033-3
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
multijunction; photovoltaic; device; fabrication; method; amorphous; silicon; cells; stacked; arrangement; interface; layer; composed; doped; compound; disposed; bandgap; respective; n-; p-type; adjacent; layers; forms; ohmic; contact; cell; conductivity; type; tunnel; junction; disclosed; fabricated; glow; discharge; process; silicon compound; multijunction photovoltaic; fabrication method; tunnel junction; photovoltaic cells; amorphous silicon; glow discharge; photovoltaic device; ohmic contact; photovoltaic cell; adjacent cell; doped silicon; conductivity type; adjacent layers; stacked arrangement; interface layer; cell layer; layer forms; discharge process; /136/438/

Citation Formats

Arya, Rajeewa R, and Catalano, Anthony W. Multijunction photovoltaic device and fabrication method. United States: N. p., 1993. Web.
Arya, Rajeewa R, & Catalano, Anthony W. Multijunction photovoltaic device and fabrication method. United States.
Arya, Rajeewa R, and Catalano, Anthony W. Fri . "Multijunction photovoltaic device and fabrication method". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/868930.
@article{osti_868930,
title = {Multijunction photovoltaic device and fabrication method},
author = {Arya, Rajeewa R and Catalano, Anthony W},
abstractNote = {A multijunction photovoltaic device includes first and second amorphous silicon PIN photovoltaic cells in a stacked arrangement. An interface layer, composed of a doped silicon compound, is disposed between the two cells and has a lower bandgap than the respective n- and p-type adjacent layers of the first and second cells. The interface layer forms an ohmic contact with the one or the adjacent cell layers of the same conductivity type, and a tunnel junction with the other of the adjacent cell layers. The disclosed device is fabricated by a glow discharge process.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1993},
month = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1993}
}

Works referenced in this record:

Improving tunneling junction in amorphous silicon tandem solar cells
journal, May 1990


Stacked solar cells of amorphous silicon
journal, January 1980


A stable 10% solar cell with a-Si/a-Si double junction structure
conference, January 1990