Electronic Article and Method of Forming

• US 20130187185A1
• Filed: 09/22/2010
• Published: 07/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Dow, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dow, Inc.
• Inventors: Pernisz, Udo, Zambov, Ludmil, Deshazer, David
• Application Number:
  US13/825,514
• Publication Number:
  US 20130187185A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/98
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02168 the coatings being antireflective or having enhancing optical properties for the solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02327 the optical elements being integrated or being directly associated to the device, e.g. back reflectors optical coatings H01L31/0216
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/44 characterised by the coatings, e.g. passivation layer or anti-reflective coating
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/56 Materials, e.g. epoxy or silicone resin
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/58 Optical field-shaping elements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

An electronic article includes an optoelectronic semiconductor having a refractive index of 3.7±2 and a dielectric layer disposed on the optoelectronic semiconductor. The dielectric layer has a thickness of at least 50 μm and a refractive index of 1.4±0.1. The electronic article includes a gradient refractive index coating (GRIC) that is disposed on the optoelectronic semiconductor and that has a thickness of from 50 to 400 nm. The refractive index of the GRIC varies along the thickness from 2.7±0.7 to 1.5±0.1. The GRIC also includes a gradient of a carbide and an oxycarbide along the thickness. The carbide and the oxycarbide each independently include at least one silicon or germanium atom. The article is formed by continuously depositing the GRIC using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition in a dual frequency configuration and subsequently disposing the dielectric layer on the GRIC.

Claims

1. A method of forming an electronic article comprising:

an optoelectronic semiconductor having a refractive index of 3.7±

2;

a dielectric layer that is disposed on the optoelectronic semiconductor and that has a thickness of at least 50 μ

m and a refractive index of 1.4±

0.1; and

a gradient refractive index coating that is disposed on the optoelectronic semiconductor and sandwiched between the optoelectronic semiconductor and the dielectric layer, that has a thickness of from 50 to 400 nm, that has a refractive index varying along the thickness from 2.7±

0.7 at a first end to 1.5±

0.1 at a second end adjacent to the dielectric layer, and that comprises a gradient of a carbide and an oxycarbide along the thickness, wherein each of the carbide and the oxycarbide independently comprises at least one of a silicon atom and a germanium atom,

said method comprising the steps of;

A. continuously depositing the gradient refractive index coating on the optoelectronic semiconductor using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition in a dual frequency configuration, and subsequently

B. disposing the dielectric layer on the gradient refractive index coating to form the electronic article.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the carbide is further defined as hydrogenated silicon carbide (SiC:

H) and the oxycarbide is further defined as hydrogenated silicon oxycarbide (SiOC;

H).

3. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the carbide is further defined as hydrogenated germanium carbide (GeC:

H) and the oxycarbide is further defined as hydrogenated germanium oxycarbide (GeOC;

H).

4. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the carbide is further defined as hydrogenated silicon germanium carbide (SiGeC:

H) and the oxycarbide is further defined as hydrogenated silicon germanium oxy-carbide (SiGeOC;

H).

5. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the electronic article has a light reflection of less than 5% over a range of wavelengths from 400 to 1200 nm as determined using UV/Vis Spectrometry.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of continuously depositing in the dual frequency configuration occurs at a first frequency of from 70 kHz to 400 kHz and at a second frequency of from 13.5 MHz to 13.6 MHz simultaneously.

7. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of continuously depositing occurs at a pressure of from 40 mTorr to 350 mTorr.

8. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of continuously depositing comprises the step of injecting oxygen into the plasma.

9. A method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of disposing an inorganic layer directly on the optoelectronic semiconductor sandwiched between the optoelectronic semiconductor and the gradient refractive index coating wherein the inorganic layer has a refractive index of from 2.4 to 2.7±

0.7.

10. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the electronic article is further defined as a photovoltaic cell module.

11. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the electronic article is further defined as a light emitting diode.

12. An electronic article formed from the method set forth in claim 1.

13. An electronic article comprising:

A. an optoelectronic semiconductor having a refractive index of 3.7±

2;

B. a dielectric layer that is disposed on said optoelectronic semiconductor and that has a thickness of at least 50 μ

m and a refractive index of 1.4±

0.1; and

C. a gradient refractive index coating that is disposed on said optoelectronic semiconductor and sandwiched between said optoelectronic semiconductor and said dielectric layer, that has a thickness of from 50 to 400 nm, that has a refractive index varying along the thickness from 2.7±

0.7 at a first end to 1.5±

0.1 at a second end adjacent to the dielectric layer, and that comprises a gradient of a carbide and an oxycarbide along said thickness, wherein each of said carbide and said oxycarbide independently comprises at least one of a silicon atom and a germanium atom.

14. An electronic article as set forth in claim 13 wherein said carbide is further defined as hydrogenated silicon carbide (SiC:

H) and said oxycarbide is further defined as hydrogenated silicon oxycarbide (SiOC;

H).

15. An electronic article as set forth in claim 13 wherein said carbide is further defined as hydrogenated germanium carbide (GeC:

H) and said oxycarbide is further defined as hydrogenated germanium oxycarbide (GeOC;

H).

16. An electronic article as set forth in claim 13 wherein said carbide is further defined as hydrogenated silicon germanium carbide (SiGeC:

H) and said oxycarbide is further defined as hydrogenated silicon germanium oxy-carbide (SiGeOC;

H).

17. An electronic article as set forth in claim 13 having a light reflection of less than 5% over a range of wavelengths from 400 to 1200 nm as determined using UV/Vis Spectrometry.

18. An electronic article as set forth in claim 13 further comprising an inorganic layer disposed directly on said optoelectronic semiconductor sandwiched between said optoelectronic semiconductor and said gradient refractive index coating wherein said inorganic layer has a refractive index of from 2.4 to 2.7±

0.7.

21. An electronic article as set forth in claim 13 that is further defined as a photovoltaic cell module.

22. An electronic article as set forth in claim 13 that is further defined as a light emitting diode.

19-20. -20. (canceled)

23-25. -25. (canceled)