Thin film heterojunction photovoltaic cells and methods of making the same

Patent · Tue Jun 14 00:00:00 EDT 1983

OSTI ID:864581

Basol, Bulent M ^[1]; Tseng, Eric S ^[1]; Rod, Robert L ^[1]

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1. Los Angeles, CA

A method of fabricating a thin film heterojunction photovoltaic cell which comprises depositing a film of a near intrinsic or n-type semiconductor compound formed of at least one of the metal elements of Class II B of the Periodic Table of Elements and at least tellurium and then heating said film at a temperature between about 250.degree. C. and 500.degree. C. for a time sufficient to convert said film to a suitably low resistivity p-type semiconductor compound. Such film may be deposited initially on the surface of an n-type semiconductor substrate. Alternatively, there may be deposited on the converted film a layer of n-type semiconductor compound different from the film semiconductor compound. The resulting photovoltaic cell exhibits a substantially increased power output over similar cells not subjected to the method of the present invention.

• DOE Contract Number: XS091521
• Assignee: Monosolar, Inc. (Santa Monica, CA)
• Patent Number(s): US 4388483
• Application Number: 06/300,116
• OSTI ID: 864581
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

film
heterojunction
photovoltaic
cells
methods
method
fabricating
cell
comprises
depositing
near
intrinsic
n-type
semiconductor
compound
formed
metal
elements
ii
periodic
table
tellurium
heating
temperature
250
degree
500
time
sufficient
convert
suitably
resistivity
p-type
deposited
initially
surface
substrate
alternatively
converted
layer
resulting
exhibits
substantially
increased
power
output
similar
subjected
metal elements
substantially increased
n-type semiconductor
semiconductor compound
metal element
photovoltaic cells
power output
semiconductor substrate
time sufficient
photovoltaic cell
periodic table
p-type semiconductor
comprises depositing
substantially increase
compound formed
film semiconductor
film heterojunction
increased power
heterojunction photovoltaic
cell exhibits
compound form
resulting ph
type semiconductor
similar cell
/136/205/257/438/