Solar cells utilizing pulsed-energy crystallized microcrystalline/polycrystalline silicon

Kaschmitter, James L; Sigmon, Thomas W

Title: Solar cells utilizing pulsed-energy crystallized microcrystalline/polycrystalline silicon

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Abstract

A process for producing multi-terminal devices such as solar cells wherein a pulsed high energy source is used to melt and crystallize amorphous silicon deposited on a substrate which is intolerant to high processing temperatures, whereby to amorphous silicon is converted into a microcrystalline/polycrystalline phase. Dopant and hydrogenization can be added during the fabrication process which provides for fabrication of extremely planar, ultra shallow contacts which results in reduction of non-current collecting contact volume. The use of the pulsed energy beams results in the ability to fabricate high efficiency microcrystalline/polycrystalline solar cells on the so-called low-temperature, inexpensive plastic substrates which are intolerant to high processing temperatures.

Inventors:

Kaschmitter, James L ^[1]; Sigmon, Thomas W ^[2]

Pleasanton, CA
Beaverton, OR

Issue Date:: 1995-01-01

Research Org.:: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

OSTI Identifier:: 870106

Patent Number(s):: 5456763

Assignee:: Regents of University of California (Oakland, 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

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H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01L - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
H01L31/03921 - {including only elements of Group IV of the Periodic System}
H01L31/186 - {Particular post-treatment for the devices, e.g. annealing, impurity gettering, short-circuit elimination, recrystallisation}

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 Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02P - CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
Y02P70/50 - Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

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DOE Contract Number:: W-7405-ENG-48

Resource Type:: Patent

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: solar; cells; utilizing; pulsed-energy; crystallized; microcrystalline; polycrystalline; silicon; process; producing; multi-terminal; devices; pulsed; energy; source; melt; crystallize; amorphous; deposited; substrate; intolerant; processing; temperatures; whereby; converted; phase; dopant; hydrogenization; added; fabrication; provides; extremely; planar; ultra; shallow; contacts; results; reduction; non-current; collecting; contact; volume; beams; ability; fabricate; efficiency; so-called; low-temperature; inexpensive; plastic; substrates; cells utilizing; pulsed energy; energy beam; plastic substrate; amorphous silicon; solar cell; solar cells; energy source; polycrystalline silicon; fabrication process; crystalline silicon; processing temperatures; crystalline phase; plastic substrates; polycrystalline solar; beams result; current collecting; processing temperature; silicon deposited; energy beams; utilizing pulsed; /136/257/438/

Citation Formats


                    Kaschmitter, James L, and Sigmon, Thomas W. Solar cells utilizing pulsed-energy crystallized microcrystalline/polycrystalline silicon.  United States: N. p., 1995. 
        Web.

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                    Kaschmitter, James L, & Sigmon, Thomas W. Solar cells utilizing pulsed-energy crystallized microcrystalline/polycrystalline silicon.  United States.

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                    Kaschmitter, James L, and Sigmon, Thomas W. Sun .  
        "Solar cells utilizing pulsed-energy crystallized microcrystalline/polycrystalline silicon".  United States.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/870106.

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@article{osti_870106,

  title        = {Solar cells utilizing pulsed-energy crystallized microcrystalline/polycrystalline silicon},

  author       = {Kaschmitter, James L and Sigmon, Thomas W},

  abstractNote = {A process for producing multi-terminal devices such as solar cells wherein a pulsed high energy source is used to melt and crystallize amorphous silicon deposited on a substrate which is intolerant to high processing temperatures, whereby to amorphous silicon is converted into a microcrystalline/polycrystalline phase. Dopant and hydrogenization can be added during the fabrication process which provides for fabrication of extremely planar, ultra shallow contacts which results in reduction of non-current collecting contact volume. The use of the pulsed energy beams results in the ability to fabricate high efficiency microcrystalline/polycrystalline solar cells on the so-called low-temperature, inexpensive plastic substrates which are intolerant to high processing temperatures.},

  doi          = {},

  journal      = {},
number       = ,

  volume       = ,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {1995},

  month        = {1}

}

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