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Title: Back contact layer for photovoltaic cells

Abstract

A photovoltaic cell structure is disclosed that includes a back contact layer that includes single wall carbon nanotube elements. The single wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) back contact is in electrical communication with an adjacent semiconductor layer and provides a buffer characteristic that impedes elemental metal migration from the back contact into the semiconductor active layers. In one embodiment, the SWNT back contact includes a semiconductor characteristic and a buffer characteristic. In another embodiment, the SWNT back contact further includes a metallic characteristic.

Inventors:
; ; ; ;
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
The University Of Toledo, Toledo, OH (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1469122
Patent Number(s):
10043922
Application Number:
14/421,718
Assignee:
The University Of Toledo (Toledo, OH)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B82 - NANOTECHNOLOGY B82Y - SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES
H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01L - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
DOE Contract Number:  
SC0006349
Resource Type:
Patent
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 2013 Aug 13
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; 14 SOLAR ENERGY; 42 ENGINEERING

Citation Formats

Heben, Michael J., Phillips, Adam B., Khanal, Rajendra R., Plotnikov, Victor V., and Compaan, Alvin D. Back contact layer for photovoltaic cells. United States: N. p., 2018. Web.
Heben, Michael J., Phillips, Adam B., Khanal, Rajendra R., Plotnikov, Victor V., & Compaan, Alvin D. Back contact layer for photovoltaic cells. United States.
Heben, Michael J., Phillips, Adam B., Khanal, Rajendra R., Plotnikov, Victor V., and Compaan, Alvin D. Tue . "Back contact layer for photovoltaic cells". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1469122.
@article{osti_1469122,
title = {Back contact layer for photovoltaic cells},
author = {Heben, Michael J. and Phillips, Adam B. and Khanal, Rajendra R. and Plotnikov, Victor V. and Compaan, Alvin D.},
abstractNote = {A photovoltaic cell structure is disclosed that includes a back contact layer that includes single wall carbon nanotube elements. The single wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) back contact is in electrical communication with an adjacent semiconductor layer and provides a buffer characteristic that impedes elemental metal migration from the back contact into the semiconductor active layers. In one embodiment, the SWNT back contact includes a semiconductor characteristic and a buffer characteristic. In another embodiment, the SWNT back contact further includes a metallic characteristic.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Aug 07 00:00:00 EDT 2018},
month = {Tue Aug 07 00:00:00 EDT 2018}
}

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