PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION DEVICE FABRICATION METHOD

• US 20110111551A1
• Filed: 08/18/2009
• Published: 05/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
• Inventors: Takeuchi, Yoshiaki, Sakai, Satoshi, Yamaguchi, Kengo
• Granted Patent: US 8,252,668 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/87
• 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 31/0463 characterised by special patterning methods to connect the PV cells in a module, e.g. laser cutting of the conductive or active layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0745 comprising a AIVBIV heterojunction, e.g. Si/Ge, SiGe/Si or Si/SiC solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/077 the devices comprising monocrystalline or polycrystalline materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/1804 comprising only elements of Group IV of the Periodic Table
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/202 including only elements of Group IV of the Periodic Table
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/547 Monocrystalline silicon PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/548 Amorphous silicon PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

Provided is a photoelectric conversion device fabrication method that realizes both high productivity and high conversion efficiency by rapidly forming an n-layer having good coverage. The fabrication method for a photoelectric conversion device includes a step of forming a silicon photoelectric conversion layer on a substrate by a plasma CVD method. In the fabrication method for the photoelectric conversion device, the step of forming the photoelectric conversion layer includes a step of forming an i-layer formed of crystalline silicon and a step of forming, on the i-layer, an n-layer under a condition with a hydrogen dilution ratio of 0 to 10, inclusive.

Claims

1. A photoelectric conversion device fabrication method comprising a step of forming a silicon photoelectric conversion layer on a substrate by using a plasma CVD method,

wherein the step of forming the photoelectric conversion layer comprises:

a step of forming an i-layer formed of crystalline silicon; and

a step of forming, on the i-layer, an n-layer under a condition with a hydrogen dilution ratio of 0 to 10, inclusive.

2. A photoelectric conversion device fabrication method according to claim 1, wherein the n-layer is formed at a film-formation speed of 0.2 nm/s or more.

3. A photoelectric conversion device fabrication method according to claim 1, wherein the n-layer is formed by using gas containing at least one element of carbon and nitrogen, as material gas.

4. A photoelectric conversion device fabrication method according to claim 1, wherein:

the step of forming the n-layer comprises a step of forming a first n-layer and a step of forming a second n-layer;

the first n-layer is formed under a condition with a hydrogen dilution ratio of 0 to 10, inclusive; and

the second n-layer is formed under a condition with a hydrogen dilution ratio different from that for the first n-layer.