Stacked-Type Photoelectric Conversion Device

• US 20090165853A1
• Filed: 12/19/2006
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kaneka Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kaneka Corporation
• Inventors: Tawada, Yuko, Suezaki, Takashi, Sawada, Toru, Yamamoto, Kenji
• Granted Patent: US 7,851,695 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/258
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/046 PV modules composed of a plurality of thin film solar cells deposited on the same substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/076 Multiple junction or tandem solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/548 Amorphous silicon PV cells

Abstract

The present invention makes it possible to provide a stacked-type thin-film photoelectric conversion device having high photostability, at a high yield rate and significantly reduced production costs. In a stacked-type photoelectric conversion device having an amorphous silicon-based photoelectric conversion unit and a crystalline silicon-based photoelectric conversion unit stacked thereon or vice versa, an amorphous photoelectric conversion layer included in the amorphous photoelectric conversion unit has a thickness of at least 0.03 μm and less than 0.17 μm, a crystalline photoelectric conversion layer included in the crystalline photoelectric conversion unit has a thickness of at least 0.2 μm and less than 1.0 μm, and a silicon oxide layer of a first conductivity type included in the amorphous photoelectric conversion unit and a silicon layer of a second conductivity type included in the crystalline photoelectric conversion unit make a junction.

Claims

1. A stacked-type photoelectric conversion device comprising an amorphous silicon-based photoelectric conversion unit and a crystalline silicon-based photoelectric conversion unit stacked thereon or vice versa, wherein

an amorphous photoelectric conversion layer included in said amorphous photoelectric conversion unit has a thickness of at least 0.03 μ

m and less than 0.17 μ

m, and a crystalline photoelectric conversion layer included in said crystalline photoelectric conversion unit has a thickness of at least 0.2 μ

m and less than 1.0 μ

m, and

a silicon oxide layer of a first conductivity type included in said amorphous photoelectric conversion unit and a silicon layer of a second conductivity type included in said crystalline photoelectric conversion unit makes a junction.

2. The stacked-type photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein said amorphous photoelectric conversion layer is made of silicon-germanium.

3. The stacked-type photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein said silicon oxide layer of the first conductivity type has a thickness of at least 5 nm and less than 20 nm.

4. The stacked-type photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein said crystalline photoelectric conversion unit further includes a silicon oxide layer of the first conductivity type on a side of said crystalline photoelectric conversion layer farther from said amorphous photoelectric conversion unit.

5. The stacked-type photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein a transparent electrode layer, said amorphous photoelectric conversion unit, and said crystalline photoelectric conversion unit stacked in this order on a transparent insulating substrate are separated by a plurality of parallel linear isolation grooves so as to form a plurality of strip-like stacked-type photoelectric conversion cells, and the plurality of cells are electrically connected and integrated in series via a plurality of connection grooves extending in parallel with said isolation grooves.

6. The stacked-type photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein said crystalline photoelectric conversion unit, said amorphous photoelectric conversion unit, and a transparent electrode layer stacked in this order on an insulating substrate are separated by a plurality of parallel linear isolation grooves so as to form a plurality of strip-like stacked-type photoelectric conversion cells, and the plurality of cells are electrically connected and integrated in series via a plurality of connection grooves extending in parallel with said isolation grooves.