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Title: Method for making photovoltaic devices using oxygenated semiconductor thin film layers

Patent ·
OSTI ID:1165439

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.

Research Organization:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC36-08GO28308
Assignee:
First Solar, Inc. (Tempe, AZ)
Patent Number(s):
8,912,037
Application Number:
13/192,545
OSTI ID:
1165439
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 2011 Jul 28
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (7)

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Polycrystalline thin film CdS/CdTe photovoltaic cell patent June 1980
Photovoltaic cell manufacturing process patent November 1996
CdTe deposition process for solar cells patent-application May 2010
Photovoltaic Devices Including an Interfacial Layer patent-application November 2010
High efficiency CSS CdTe solar cells journal February 2000
Optoelectronic properties of chlorine- and oxygen-doped CdTe thin films journal May 2005