Semiconductor structure suitable for forming a solar cell, device including the structure, and methods of forming the device and structure
First Claim
1. A solar cell structure comprising:
- a monocrystalline substrate;
an accommodating buffer layer formed on the substrate;
a template formed on the accommodating buffer layer;
a first monocrystalline semiconductor layer formed overlying the template; and
a dye proximate said monocrystalline semiconductor layer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Solar cell structures (100) including high quality epitaxial layers of monocrystalline semiconductor materials that are grown overlying monocrystalline substrates (102) such as large silicon wafers by forming a compliant substrate for growing the monocrystalline layers are disclosed. One way to achieve the formation of a compliant substrate includes first growing an accommodating buffer layer (104) on a silicon wafer. The accommodating buffer (104) layer is a layer of monocrystalline material spaced apart from the silicon wafer by an amorphous interface layer (112) of silicon oxide. The amorphous interface layer (112) dissipates strain and permits the growth of a high quality monocrystalline oxide accommodating buffer layer. The solar cell structures also include a dye (110) to increase an efficiency of the solar cell.
37 Citations
54 Claims
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1. A solar cell structure comprising:
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a monocrystalline substrate;
an accommodating buffer layer formed on the substrate;
a template formed on the accommodating buffer layer;
a first monocrystalline semiconductor layer formed overlying the template; and
a dye proximate said monocrystalline semiconductor layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A solar cell comprising:
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a monocrystalline substrate;
an accommodating buffer structure formed on the substrate;
a monocrystalline semiconductor material of a first type formed overlying the amorphous oxide; and
a dye layer formed over the compound semiconductor material of a first type. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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47. A process for fabricating a solar cell structure comprising the steps of:
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providing a monocrystalline substrate;
epitaxially growing a monocrystalline accommodating buffer layer overlying the monocrystalline substrate;
epitaxially growing a first monocrystalline semiconductor material over the monocrystalline accommodating buffer layer; and
forming a dye layer overlying the first monocrystalline semiconductor material.
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Specification